Key Points
- CyberSafe has specialised in SAP authentication security for 20 years
- Single sign-on reduces costs by eliminating multiple password systems
- Mobile access to SAP platforms creates new security challenges for enterprises
As enterprises expand mobile access to critical business applications, securing authentication has become a growing priority. SAP platforms, which run finance, HR and other essential functions in most large organisations, face particular challenges when users log in from personal devices.
Tim Alsop, managing director and chief executive officer of CyberSafe, a UK-based cybersecurity firm that has spent two decades specialising in SAP authentication, discusses these challenges in an interview with TechObserver.in. The conversation covers how single sign-on, a method that lets users access multiple applications with one password, can reduce costs while strengthening security, and why mobile access is reshaping the authentication landscape.
Edited excerpts:
What is CyberSafe’s core focus?
We have been in business for about 20 years. We have specialised in security, particularly in authentication. Authentication means when somebody logs in to your system, and you are verifying who they are. What we are doing is authenticating users when they are logging in to SAP business applications. SAP applications are used in most companies to run the business for finance, HR and other critical applications. Businesses need to invest in security, and they also need to look at the cost. We help businesses to reduce costs by enabling them to use a single method of authentication instead of multiple ones, so they don’t have to remember different passwords for all the different things. When companies use our application, they have one password for all authentications.
Do you work with SAP directly or with SAP customers?
We are not selling to SAP, but to SAP customers. We have done that deliberately because we know the SAP application, the customers and what their needs are, compared to somebody using a completely different CRM. So we are focusing on the SAP market. When somebody engages with us, we talk in SAP language, which both sides can understand.
What newer trends are you observing in the authentication process?
The trends are really to do with mobile. Ten years ago, people were using SAP internally, but with the advent of the internet and cheaper mobile devices, people now want to authenticate and log in to SAP systems from mobile. That creates a new challenge for security. We are developing products and functionality to address that challenge. Nobody wants a situation where a person loses their phone, and someone else uses the phone to log in to the SAP platform. Nobody wants that to happen. So we need to create new mechanisms and stronger configurations to safeguard these platforms.
Is BYOD a significant challenge for SAP security?
It is a big challenge. The industry is still learning the best way of doing things, because there are a lot of people out there doing things wrong. We get contacted by a lot of companies regarding the use of security solutions for managing mobile access. We do not sell services. We are selling products. So any services required for our product are given for free. When it comes to using our service, there is ease in getting started with us. You can evaluate our product and then use it. A company can do a proof of concept with us.
Can you share a recent example of how you have helped a client?
At present, we are working with an energy company that has about eight thousand users. They have been using our product internally for about five years. They contacted us a few weeks ago saying that they were facing a problem with configuration in the SAP Fiori application. They came to us and we fixed it quite easily. This is how we have been working.
What opportunities do you see in India?
We have our development centre in India. Here, we are partnering with companies like TCS, Wipro, HCL and Infosys, who have been providing services to some of the big Indian companies. It is a different model for us in India. Outside India, we make a lot of direct sales, but in India, we go via an indirect channel because Indian consultants are more up to date in building relationships. We have already started relationships with Wipro and HCL in the very early days, and we are also keen to work with Infosys. They are looking for the kind of solution that we have.
What is the outlook for cybersecurity investment?
What we have seen over the last few years, not only in India but across the globe, is that some companies have been reluctant to invest in security because they have too many other projects to focus on, and security has not been a priority. But we are starting to see a shift now. Security and authentication are becoming higher-priority tasks. I think what might be driving this shift is mobile.
How do you see mobile access changing enterprise security priorities?
Mobile is creating urgency. When SAP was only accessed from inside the office, the risk was contained. Now that people expect to work from anywhere, companies have to think differently about who is logging in and whether they are who they say they are. That is driving investment in authentication that companies might have postponed a few years ago.
Your Questions, Answered
What does CyberSafe do for SAP security?
CyberSafe provides authentication solutions that let SAP users access multiple applications with a single password. This single sign-on approach reduces costs by eliminating the need for multiple authentication systems while strengthening security.
How does single sign-on reduce enterprise costs?
According to CyberSafe's CEO, single sign-on eliminates the need for multiple authentication methods, meaning users do not have to remember different passwords for different applications. This reduces both IT overhead and user friction.
What security challenges does mobile access create for SAP?
Mobile access creates risks when devices are lost or stolen, potentially allowing unauthorised users to log in to SAP platforms. CyberSafe is developing stronger configurations and mechanisms to address these challenges.
How does CyberSafe operate in India?
CyberSafe has a development centre in India and partners with TCS, Wipro, HCL and Infosys to reach Indian enterprises. The company uses an indirect channel model in India, relying on consultants to build relationships with clients.
