Cybercrime is growing exponentially, and after various attacks on businesses such as Colonial Pipeline, the benefits of proper cybersecurity are getting clearer each day. Companies with ERP must ensure data security in order to maintain operations and prevent profit losses from malicious cyber-attacks. Enterprise Resource Planning software contains incredibly sensitive information on both the credit and debtor side, being supplier records and customer records, respectfully.
What Tools and Methods are Hackers Using to Hack Your ERP?
Hackers are becoming more proficient at attacking your data, adopting a litany of strategies specially-designed to break into your company network. To ensure ERP data security, the first step to take is to learn about and better understand the most common cyber attack methods to watch out for:
Socially Engineered Strategies:
Most hackers do not need to be an expert with workstations or operating systems (OS) to break into your network – they just need to trick a single unaware employee. Social engineering is the method of manipulating a person into giving access to private information, like login credentials or other sensitive data. All it would take for a cybercriminal to obtain this information is a fake email with an unsecured link and convince the employee with access to either log into a fake website, or give up other information protected by the company such as your accounts payable banking information. This particular method is called phishing, and is one of the most common cyber attacks committed across the world.
DDoS Attacks:
Also common against ERP, a distributed denial of service attack, or DDoS, is where the cybercriminal makes a network resource temporarily (or, if left unaddressed, indefinitely) unavailable by disrupting services of a host connected to the Internet. A hacker can then hold the network for ransom, halting all operations until a certain amount is paid.
Pharming:
Pharming is similar to phishing attacks, yet focuses more on sending traffic to a fake website in order to steal information. This website could look exactly like your company’s login page, and by submitting your regular credentials, you just put your ERP at risk.
Tips for ERP Data Security
Looking back at the most-used methods, one common theme can be made clear: the human element. Each attack has a role that needs to be filled by an employee, a fact that should be addressed when attempting to improve ERP data security. Companies can protect against this by giving proper training and tools to their employees, as an active way to fight against cyber-crime.
Keep Software up to Date
In the modern world, security technology is constantly evolving, and what may have once worked to protect your assets could now be out of date. By keeping your software updated you can ensure that you have the latest defenses to protect your ERP data. This not only applies to OS updates, but especially the latest updates to your enterprise applications.
MFA
Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is a tool designed to protect your log in credentials, and therefore access to your data. MFA acts as a second form of verification that makes sure the person logging into an account is really who they say they are. If a hacker managed to gain someone’s information through a phishing attack, they would still not be able to gain access to the network if the extra level of identification  was put into place. Multi-factor authentication is a simple tool that provides a large amount of value to your ERP data security.
Access Rights
If everyone in your business has the same level of access to files and data, hackers have a large pool of people to try and scam. The larger the pool, the higher the chance is that someone accidentally falls for their attack and give up sensitive information. Consider limiting employees access rights to only what they need in order to get their personal job done. By doing this, you are limiting the size of potential victims that hackers actually want to target, meaning the likelihood of an attack will go down.
Reminders
You can’t expect every single person working for your company to constantly have cybersecurity on their mind. It is up to decision-makers to make sure reoccurring programs are put into place that will remind employees about the strategies hackers use, and what to look out for in suspicious emails. One program at the beginning of their tenure will not make them data security expert, but perhaps a monthly or bimonthly training session could give you the peace of mind that your employees know how to practice proper cyber safety methods.
Keeping ERP Data Security as Your top Priority
Covid-19 has taught us a lot about how people respond to conflict. Unfortunately, some people took advantage of the need to work from home and discovered many new data security and privacy gaps, leading to many companies having to place cybersecurity as a bigger priority in 2021. Using the tips from above, you can  better enforce ERP data security practices, ensuring your company’s place in the modern workforce.
Ask SWK Technologies About ERP Cybersecurity
As both an award-winning managed service provider (MSP) and value-added reseller (VAR) of multiple enterprise applications, SWK Technologies brings the knowledge and experience you need to successfully protect your ERP data. Reach out to us ASAP to let us show you some of our cybersecurity solutions tailored for systems like Sage 100, Sage X3 and Acumatica, and find out how we can secure your network whether you are hosted on-premise or in the cloud.
Contact SWK Technologies today to learn more about our solutions for ensuring your ERP data security.
