Improving the Security of Cloud-based ERP Systems

Abstract

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems integrate internal and external management information across an entire organization, embracing finance/accounting, manufacturing, sales and service, customer relationship management, etc. ERP systems automate this activity with an integrated software application.The architecture of the software facilitates transparent integration of modules, providing consistent flow of information between all functions within the enterprise. ERP popularity has rapidly increased in the last few years and they are starting to be used by all types of businesses. In this regard, the ERP is becoming a system with high vulnerability and confidentiality in which security is critical for the system to operate. Recent studies show that many ERP vendors have already integrated some kind of security solutions, which may work well internally. However, in an open environment, one needs more advanced and innovative technological approaches to secure an ERP system.

In this paper, we evaluate how and to what extent one can improve the security of an ERP system by implementing a set of security measures addressing the current top security threats. The paper evaluates the effects and provides conclusions on the applied security measures using ArtAIIS – Artisoft’s cloud-based, web-enabled software-as-a-service ERP system.