Tips for ERP Data Protection

With the recent uncovering of the Facebook and Cambridge Analytica scandal and the upcoming GDPR mandates, data security is on everyone’s mind. This proves especially true for businesses with enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems who depend on their software to store critical information. An ERP data breach could deliver a massive blow to your enterprise.

Fortunately, there are steps every business can take to protect sensitive information. Read on to learn how you can avoid attacks and keep your enterprise safe.

Segregation of Duties

There is such a thing as too much transparency. Sure, cross-departmental visibility drives collaboration and efficiency, making it an important benefit of ERP. However, when everyone has access to everything all the time, your company could run into trouble. What if unauthorized personnel misuse or misplace sensitive datasets? What if someone manipulates data, causing failures in legal compliance?

To avoid these pitfalls, ERP solutions enable the maintenance of a Segregation of Duties (SoD). In other words, tiered user roles can be put in place to establish levels of accessibility. This prevents unauthorized users from accessing data and makes it easy for managers to monitor logins and address potential internal breaches.

Internal Documentation

Even with a robust ERP platform, some enterprises continue to store reports on outdated systems or in Excel spreadsheets. By not taking advantage of your ERP software as a central hub for data and documentation, you’re not only failing to use the system for its intended purpose of improving visibility and efficiency but also exposing your business to risk. With information spread out amongst several systems, managers struggle to maintain security standards and detect attacks.

Your ERP instance includes accurate internal reporting, enabling managers to easily find security weaknesses. Data and documentation in one system allows information to be accessed quickly to notice any issues before they take down your enterprise. Robust tracking tools ensure that managers don’t miss a beat when monitoring data usage.

Software Updates

Legacy systems are no match against hackers. Without malware updates and patches, a breach can quickly spread like a virus throughout the entire system. That’s why consistent ERP updates are a must to maintain data integrity. With each update comes new patches to tackle programming errors and strengthen your data security. If your ERP instance no longer supports updates, migrate to a newer model to ensure your business data is fully protected.

Cloud Hosting

Though people are quick to point the finger at cloud computing whenever data is stolen, the truth is that cloud ERP tends to offer the safest option for data management. To protect data in your on-premises system, a business must perform frequent, extensive audits and dedicate a team to monitor the software at all times. Who has the resources for that?

Most businesses need cloud hosting to effectively protect their system. Cloud vendors take on the challenges of maintenance and upgrades to ensure your ERP data remains compliant, up-to-date and safe. With software experts managing the backend of your system, users can keep plugging away at their work without fearing anything happening to sensitive information.

Wrap Up

The unfortunate truth is that you can never guarantee 100% safety for your enterprise data, no matter what methodology or infrastructure you employ. That’s why it’s important to not only implement the above strategies but also work with ERP consultants. Datix is a certified Epicor Platinum Partner with 20 years of experience in conducting ERP projects for manufacturers and distributors. With this experience, we can help our clients take preventative measures and solve any security issues throughout your software journey. We know software isn’t a one-and-done deal. That’s why we provide ongoing maintenance and update support after your implementation to always ensure your ERP instance performs at the highest safety standards.

Contact Datix today to find out how Epicor ERP can transform your business into a safer, more powerful enterprise.

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