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SAP IAG for Enhanced Access Governance

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  Raghu Boddu

Key Takeaways

⇨ SAP Identity Access Governance (IAG) is a comprehensive framework designed to manage user access, control risks, and ensure compliance across various SAP applications and non-SAP systems.

⇨ SAP IAG include services for access analysis, privileged access management, role design, access request management, and access certification, providing a robust governance structure for user access.

⇨ Enhances access governance through streamlined access requests and approvals, risk mitigation with access analysis, automated access reviews and certifications, and role-based access control, offering distinct advantages over traditional manual processes and enhancing overall security posture.

Unlocking SAP Identity Access Governance (IAG) offers a comprehensive framework to manage user access, mitigate risks, and ensure regulatory compliance across SAP applications and non-SAP systems, on-premise or in the cloud. With five key services including Access Analysis, Privileged Access Management (PAM), Role Designer, Access Request, and Access Certification, SAP IAG streamlines access provisioning, automates reviews, and enforces role-based access control (RBAC). Enhanced access governance with SAP IAG simplifies access requests and approvals, proactively mitigates risks through robust analysis, and automates certifications. Leveraging its risk analysis capabilities, organizations identify and address potential security threats and ensure compliance. Explore the unique advantages of SAP IAG compared to SAP GRC Access Control in our blog authored by our Innovation Director, Raghu Boddu, ensuring your enterprise’s security posture and regulatory compliance with a tailored access governance solution.

Understanding SAP Identity Access Governance (IAG)

SAP IAG serves as a comprehensive framework within the SAP ecosystem, designed to manage user access, control risks, and ensure compliance with regulatory standards. Its primary focus lies in governing user access across various SAP applications that are hosted on-premise and cloud along with other non-sap systems such as Azure ID, and platforms.

Key Components of SAP IAG

SAP IAG offers 5 key services as outlined in the below figure:

1. Access Analysis Service

Similar to SAP GRC, SAP IAG also has powerful capabilities to assess and mitigate access risks associated with user permissions. It conducts thorough analysis, identifying potential risks and vulnerabilities within the access structure. A clear definition of risks are displayed for each of the users enabling the Business Owners to take better decisions on managing the risks for each of the user.

2. Privileged Access Management (PAM) Service

PAM Service is similar to GRC Access Control Emergency Access Management aka Firefighter, a specialized solution designed to manage critical access by controlling, monitoring, and securing the SAP systems from unauthorized changes using privileged accounts. It focuses on a more controlled assignment and management of accesses which has business impact. PAM ensure compliance with regulatory standards, thereby fortifying the overall security posture of an enterprise.

3. Role Designer Service

Role Designer service in SAP Identity Access Governance (IAG) is a pivotal tool facilitating the creation and management of user roles within an organization’s access governance framework. It enables administrators to design, customize, and maintain role structures, aligning access with specific job functions or departments. Leveraging Role Designer, businesses can streamline access provisioning by defining business roles, assigning parameters.

4. Access Request Service

The Access Request service feature enables users to request access rights based on predefined roles for various applications integrated to SAP IAG. It streamlines the process, ensuring quick and accurate provisioning while maintaining control. Access Request supports pre-defined workflows and can provision to various on-premise, and cloud applications such as SAP BTP, SAP SAC etc.,

For a list of systems that are supported, Click here

5. Access Certification

Periodic access reviews are crucial for compliance. SAP IAG automates access certification processes, allowing designated individuals to review and confirm user access rights periodically.

How Access Governance can be enhanced with SAP IAG?

Streamlined Access Requests and Approvals

SAP IAG simplifies the access request process by providing a user-friendly interface. Users can easily request specific access rights aligned with their job responsibilities. These requests are then routed through customizable approval workflows, ensuring compliance with defined policies before granting access.

Risk Mitigation through Access Analysis

With its robust risk analysis capabilities, SAP IAG identifies and evaluates potential risks associated with user access. It conducts in-depth assessments, highlighting access combinations that might pose security threats or regulatory non-compliance. This proactive approach enables organizations to mitigate risks effectively. SAP IAG offers refinement options such as Simple Refinement, and Advanced Refinement in addition to the regular Mitigation options.

Further, the SAP IAG Ruleset is delivered with risks related to APO, BASIS, HR, R3, SRM, S4HANA On-premise, S4HANA Cloud, ARIBA, SuccessFactors, Fieldglass, and IBP. For more details on the supported systems, refer to SAP Note – 2782388 – IAG – How to load default standard ruleset?

Automated Access Reviews and Certifications

Manual access reviews are time-consuming and prone to errors. SAP IAG automates these processes, scheduling periodic access reviews and certifications. This automation ensures that user access remains aligned with current job roles and business needs, reducing the risk of unauthorized access.

Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)

SAP IAG facilitates Role-Based Access Control, a method of managing access based on job roles, referred to as Business Roles in IAG. It streamlines access provisioning by assigning roles that are pre-analyzed, and all the relevant mapping is done. This approach simplifies access management while reducing the risk of excessive access rights.

How difference SAP IAG is compared to SAP GRC Access Control?

Great Question! Despite sharing similar functionalities, SAP IAG and SAP GRC Access Control possess unique capabilities, advantages, and drawbacks. Comparing them is akin to comparing apples and oranges solely based on their commonality as fruits or similar features. Just like distinct fruits with their individual properties, each of these solutions has its own set of characteristics and benefits.

For detailed information, refer to the SAP blog authored by our Innovation Director – Raghu Boddu

Conclusion

In a landscape where data security and regulatory compliance are key, SAP IAG emerges as a strategic solution for organizations seeking to strengthen their access governance. By leveraging its capabilities in risk analysis, access certification, and SoD controls, businesses can achieve a robust framework for managing access privileges effectively. Implementing SAP IAG not only fortifies security but also streamlines access processes, driving operational efficiency and ensuring compliance in today’s dynamic business environment.

With our tools, it is possible to find out the transaction code usage, tables that the users are accessing, the data that is being downloaded (a copy can also be maintained for further investigation), terminal from which it has been downloaded, providing insights required by security and audit teams to enable them to complete the audit successfully. If you would like to find out more about how we can help in this area, then please do contact ToggleNow.

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