SAP systems handle mission-critical business data, making authorization security a top priority for every organization. This blog explains the different types of authorization risks that must be evaluated when designing a robust SAP security strategy.
Introduction
A strong SAP security model must follow the principle of data minimization, meaning users should receive only the access necessary to fulfill their job responsibilities.
Any authorization beyond the actual purpose of processing becomes a violation of the minimization principle and increases the probability of fraud, misuse, or data exposure.
To evaluate authorization risks, organizations commonly apply the principle of prohibition, which ensures that users are restricted from performing specific actions or a combination of actions that could lead to harmful outcomes.
Combining both principles helps enterprises achieve the right balance between security control and business efficiency.
Activity-Related Authorization Risks
From a user access perspective, authorization-based risks in SAP can be grouped into three major types of critical access risks:
SoD Conflicts (Segregation of Duties Conflicts)
Segregation of Duties (SoD) risks arise when a user can perform two or more conflicting activities that should always remain separate.
Example: A user who can both maintain suppliers and process purchase orders.
Such access enables unauthorized or undetected procurement activity.
SAP can flag these conflicts via rule-based configurations, and controls can be implemented to separate the entry and release processes. Without SoD enforcement, companies face high risks of fraud, manipulation, and audit failures.
Critical Actions
Critical actions refer to highly sensitive operations that become risky when assigned to a user without strict control.
Example: A transaction connected to a sensitive authorization object that allows modification of system metadata.
This could result in unauthorized production system configuration changes.
Such actions may be required by certain roles, but they must be carefully controlled, logged, and reviewed to prevent misuse.
Critical Authorizations
Critical authorizations are access permissions that are inherently risky, even if they are not tied to a specific transaction.
Example: Debugging functionality in “change mode.”
If misused, this can allow unauthorized data visibility or manipulation.
These authorizations require stringent review because of their potential security impact, especially in production environments.
Data Protection and Business-Linked Risk Considerations
Some SoD risks are driven purely by data protection laws, such as restricting the overlap between:
- User administrator and authorization administrator
- Transportation management users who handle transport requests across development and production systems
Business-linked SoD conflicts also demand attention.
Example: A user who can both trigger supplier/customer unblocking and initiate payments or bonuses.
Although these conflicts may not always be tied directly to data protection, they pose significant risk to financial integrity and governance.
Purpose-Based Authorization Risks
Purpose risk is a wide-scope risk relating to the misuse of authorization objects assigned for specific functional purposes.
According to data protection guidelines, every object and privilege must be linked to the legal and procedural purpose for which it is processed.
A purpose violation occurs when an authorization intended for one use is leveraged for another, making mitigation essential for compliance and security.
Conclusion – Strengthening SAP Security with 1Trooper
Data is the most valuable asset in today’s digital world, and protecting it from unauthorized access, whether internal or external, is essential for business continuity and compliance. Establishing an effective SAP authorization framework helps organizations prevent excessive privileges, reduce fraud risk, and ensure clean and auditable system access.
1Trooper elevates SAP security to the next level by automating authorization risk analysis, detecting SoD conflicts, highlighting critical actions and critical authorizations, and enforcing purpose-based access controls across SAP environments. With real-time insights, continuous monitoring, and automated remediation workflows, 1Trooper empowers organizations to maximize SAP security while maintaining smooth business operations and audit readiness.