Why SAP Customers are Investing in Third Party Data Masking Tools to Accelerate Data Security and Compliance

⇨ Security and privacy risks are a barrier to organizations implementing these advanced technologies like AI, automation, and analytics.

⇨ To address these data privacy concerns, many companies are using Dynamic Data Masking.

⇨ Pathlock’s DDM offering enables users to carefully craft their own rules to meet the needs specific to their industry and individual organization.

All manner of roles within SAP organizations are under increased pressure to work more efficiently and provide decision-makers with advanced analytics. These users often turn to advanced technologies like AI and automation to meet these needs – but these capabilities are not without challenges themselves.

In SAPinsider’s recent AI and Automation in Finance Report, over half of survey respondents (51%) said that security and privacy risks were a barrier to their organizations implementing these advanced technologies. While these concerns are certainly valid, businesses that let privacy issues deter them risk being outpaced by their competition.

How Data Masking Bolsters Privacy

To address these data privacy concerns, many companies are using Dynamic Data Masking (DDM) from Pathlock. This practice obfuscates fields with potentially sensitive information within the SAP environment to everyone except for users with authorization. Data masking is becoming an essential part of a robust SAP security strategy.

This solution relies on Pathlock’s Attribute Based Access Control (ABAC) which goes further than standard role-based access control. Instead, it grants access based on attributes for an individual user, rather than just the role they occupy within the organizations. This adds an additional level of granularity.

Security measures like data masking are no longer just nice to have – in many cases, regulatory bodies are beginning to require such measures. In addition to risking data breaches, companies without data masking capabilities could now face legal penalties if they do not comply with these regulations. As organizations grow and expand their operations around the globe, they should ensure that they have security measures in place that allow them to seamlessly adapt to their new environment.

Implementing Data Masking

A solution is only useful if it scales and grows along with the organizations leveraging it. Pathlock’s DDM offering enables users to carefully craft their own rules to meet the needs specific to their industry and individual organization. It also features automated testing and monitoring capabilities to measure its own effectiveness and ensure no vulnerabilities arise.

This automation also ensures that organizations can scale out their data masking solution throughout the organization as the company changes over time. Users can update and shift accessibility through Pathlock’s intuitive interface. They can deploy more of a greenfield-style solution by building out their own filters or they can choose to rely on out-of-the-box policies to get started.

Conclusion

Data privacy concerns are prevalent in any SAP organization. However, these cannot prevent companies from leveraging advanced technologies. Companies are turning to options like Dynamic Data Masking from Pathlock to protect themselves from data breaches, safeguard sensitive information, and meet all applicable privacy regulations.

SAP organizations must ensure that they have their security policies and procedures set up to meet all the new challenges that will emerge as they deploy new and advanced technologies that will help them meet their business goals.