January 24, 2005 – (HOSTSEARCH.COM) – SAP today unveiled two new initiatives to help customers provide for the IT security of their business processes and data systems. SAP is now offering SAP(R) Consultant Certification for securing SAP systems, a distinction earned thus far by consultants from more than 20 SAP partner companies around the world, including Atos Origin in Europe, Deloitte Singapore and EDS Enterprise Solutions in South Africa. Additionally, SAP has added virus scanning software to its list of more than 50 security software products certified for integration with SAP(R) solutions.
"When SAP customers choose security consultants or third-party software, one of their first questions is whether the service provider or product integration is SAP certified," said Sachar Paulus, chief security officer, SAP AG. "SAP makes security an integral part of its software. With our continually expanding certification programs, our customers trust in third-party productsand services that complement SAP solutions."
Certifying the Experts That Secure SAP Implementations
By achieving SAP security certification, consultants can verify their knowledge of applicable security tools and measures within their realms of SAP expertise, choosing from more than 80 tests covering the SAP NetWeaver(TM) technology platform and SAP's portfolio of business suite, industry-specific and small and midsize business solutions. Available in various languages, each test consists of 80 multiple choice questions on topics ranging from administration of users, roles and authorizations to firewalls, networks and routers. For the program's first movers such as Deloitte Singapore, boosting customer confidence in their qualifications to apply security knowledge effectively in SAP implementations was a key reason for achieving consultant certification.
"IT security and control is becoming a mandatory requirement as companies realize the value and necessity of building security into their systems from the very start of each implementation," said Pun Swee Sum, Manager, Deloitte Singapore. "SAP Consultant Certification enables us to distinguish ourselves from other local consultancies. It adds an important element of customer trust in our ability to execute proven SAP security strategies that help secure the system from the ground up and avoid the costs of adding security features after deployment."
Seal of Approval on Virus Scan Software Integration
With the growing use of HTTP protocols in SAP software and the open architecture of the SAP NetWeaver platform, the face of the SAP landscape has changed. As databases are now open for external documents and users log on to corporate systems remotely via the Internet, SAP customers need to fortify protection of their underlying operational systems, which, if brought to crash by a computer virus, might also bring down the SAP system. Addressing customer demands for trusted solutions to counter this threat, SAP has expanded its certification program to include a scenario for virus scan interfaces. The first virus-scan software provider to obtain the endorsement "SAP(R) Certified Integration" is Germany-based H+BEDV
Datentechnik GmbH for its AntiVir(R) product line. The certified AntiVir Virus Scan Adapter provides SAP system administrators with an integrated security solution to specify what type of documents and executable files are scanned prior to entry into or export from the SAP system.
In the area of security software, SAP has certified interfaces to more than 50 third-party products in seven other scenarios: digital signatures, encryption, and secure store and forward; directory services; external authentication; risk management; secure network communications; system audits; and user management.
