SAP today introduced a service designed to help its customers boost the security of their SAP software systems.

The SAP Security Optimisation service offers an evaluation of critical security settings across the customer's SAP system to identify and eliminate potential vulnerabilities and minimise the risk of hack attacks.

Performed remotely by SAP, and to a large extent automated, the service searches for vulnerabilities in an enterprise's SAP infrastructure including applications and middleware, internet gateways, interfaces to partners' systems, and user authorisations.

Following the one- to two-day evaluation, customers receive a detailed analysis of security gaps and vulnerabilities prioritised according to severity and probability, and action plans on how to resolve the problems.

The recommended security measures can be carried out by the customer or by third-party security consultants.

As IT landscapes are in a constant flux of changing business processes and access authorisations, SAP advised that these security checks need to be undertaken at regular intervals.

"With the dynamic development of enterprise IT landscapes and their increasing openness to customers and business partners, companies are continually presented with new challenges in terms of security," said Sachar Paulus, chief security officer at SAP AG.

SAP Security Optimisation is part of SAP Active Global Support's portfolio of customer services.