Implementing Dynamic Data Masking in SAP ECC & S/4HANA Using Pathlock

The current regulatory compliance and cyber threat landscape is constantly shifting. Coupled with digital transformation projects like S/4HANA migrations, protecting sensitive data within SAP systems is more paramount than ever before. To secure sensitive SAP data effectively, organizations must implement data-centric security controls like Dynamic Data Masking in SAP.

Why is Data Masking Used?

Data masking is a security measure used to shuffle, obfuscate, anonymize, or encrypt data so that it cannot be accessed or deciphered without the requisite authorization. Masking sensitive data like SSN, bank account information, healthcare records, and financial information in SAP systems allows enterprises to reduce unnecessary exposure to data while enhancing data security, governance, and reducing their overall risk. Data masking also helps private and public companies align with compliance regulations like GDPR, PCI DSS, Sarbanes Oxley, etc., which mandate the protection of all personal data from unauthorized access and theft.

Out-of-the-Box SAP Data Protection is Not Enough

To prevent data exfiltration and general over-exposure of sensitive enterprise data, the use of SAP data masking has grown in popularity as a best practice. Unfortunately, customers have no out-of-the-box solutions for SAP data masking. In fact, the entire SAP security model hinges on static and inflexible, role-based controls that offer little to effectively protect the data inside the transactions that the access controls are designed to govern. In many cases, a user who has access to a transaction has access to a wide range of data within that transaction that simply isn’t necessary – providing opportunities for misuse.

To make matters more complicated, if an organization were to undergo a large-scale SAP data masking project, the sheer amount of custom development would prove to be a significant hurdle and nearly impossible to scale effectively.

Pathlock Offers a Centralized, Scalable Alternative

To offer SAP ERP customers a scalable data masking solution, the Dynamic Access Controls (DAC) module from Pathlock features dynamic data masking capabilities that enable fine-grained control over which sensitive data fields customers can mask for any specified user and in the context of any situation. By implementing a full or partial mask to a data record, DAC minimizes the risk of a data breach and fulfills encryption and anonymization mandates imposed or implied by regulatory bodies.

Unlike most off-the-shelf masking solutions, Pathlock uses a single ruleset to define and mask data across the entire application:

• Centralize SAP data masking enforcement with a customizable, policy-based ruleset
• Deploy dynamic policies that account for risk contexts such as location, IP address, time, data sensitivity, and more
• Protect sensitive data in production and non-production environments
• Implement masking without requiring additional customizations to SAP
• Filter out sensitive data at the presentation layer, resulting in no additional maintenance requirements for updates

Why Pathlock is the Optimal Dynamic Data Masking Solution for SAP

Simply put, when you are trying to protect SAP data without overly restricting access, then there is no alternative to leveraging a dynamic data masking solution. Because the context of access plays such a critical role in defining risk, being able to apply full or partial masks based on context is the only real way to balance data protection and operational productivity.

In addition, Pathlock uses a “one to many” approach for creating policy-based data masking rules. This enables customers to quickly scale SAP data masking without extensive development or role management efforts at implementation or reconfiguration efforts for policy updates. 

Example Use Cases for Dynamic SAP Data Masking

1. Mask PII of Customers in SAP CRM Based on their residency
   GDPR Compliance – Ex: Mask PII Data if Customers’ Address is in the EU
2. Mask & Lock Bank Account Fields After Hours
   Fraud & Theft – Ex: Insider Changing Data at Night Before Pay-Run
3. Obscure Data Fields in Transactions that are Unnecessary for a Role
   Data Minimization – Ex: Customer Support Seeing Financial Spend, Pricing Info
4. Prevent Remote Access of Unpublished Financial Information
   Risk Mitigation – Ex: Mask Data when Access Occurs After Hours or Remote

Get a Demo of Pathlock’s Dynamic SAP Data Masking and See for Yourself!

As your business-critical systems scale and regulatory requirements shift, your ability to protect sensitive data must evolve as well. Fortunately, Pathlock offers the fastest, most cost-effective, and advanced solution for SAP data masking. Contact us today and get a demo! And find out how you can be applying dynamic data masking rules within weeks!