Penetration Testing for SAP RISE / SAP Cloud ERP
As enterprises increasingly migrate to S/4HANA Cloud platforms as part of SAP RISE/ Cloud ERP transformations, the need to secure these mission-critical environments has never been greater. SAP cloud solutions manage essential financial, operational, and human resource data, forming the digital backbone of organizations. While SAP provides a robust infrastructure with built-in security controls, customers are responsible for securing their own configurations, integrations, and extensions as part of a shared model of responsibility for security. Penetration testing is therefore a critical step in validating the effectiveness of these security measures.
Cloud ERP systems expand the traditional attack surface by integrating with third-party applications, partners and APIs. Even a single insecure interface or misconfigured role can allow unauthorized access to sensitive data or processes. Penetration testing provides a proactive mechanism to identify such weaknesses before they are exploited. It helps to verify cloud configurations meet security best practices, network segmentation is properly enforced, and custom developments or business add-ons do not introduce vulnerabilities.
Regular penetration testing validates that monitoring and alerting tools are capable of detecting and containing cyber threats. For organizations subject to compliance frameworks such as SOX, GDPR, or ISO 27001, penetration testing also provides essential evidence of due diligence.
A typical penetration test for SAP RISE / Cloud ERP follows a structured methodology:
Planning and Scoping
The testing team works with business and IT stakeholders to define the scope including systems, integrations, network zones, and user roles. This stage also includes obtaining formal approval from SAP ECS (Enterprise Cloud Services) to perform testing in RISE environments.
Coordination with SAP ECS
Although penetration tests are performed by external security service providers, they must be closely coordinated with SAP ECS. Because SAP RISE / Cloud ERP environments are managed by SAP ECS, customers cannot conduct testing independently. Instead, a Penetration Test Request must be submitted through the SAP support portal under component BC-OP-RC-ECS, typically at least six weeks in advance. The request must specify:
- The purpose and objectives of the test
- The systems or tenants involved
- The testing provider (internal or external)
- Expected timeline and test methods
SAP ECS reviews the request to ensure that testing will not affect shared infrastructure or violate service-level agreements. Once approved, SAP coordinates scheduling, network access, and monitoring to support the testing.
Rules of Engagement for SAP RISE
SAP enforces specific Rules of Engagement (RoE) for all penetration tests in RISE / Cloud ERP environments. Key requirements include:
- Testing for only customer managed layers. This includes application configuration, extensions, and custom code. Direct testing of the SAP-managed infrastructure or platform components is not permitted.
- Testing must be non-disruptive and conducted within agreed maintenance windows. Denial-of-service (DoS) or destructive payloads are prohibited.
- All vulnerabilities discovered must be reported confidentially to SAP ECS, following SAP’s responsible disclosure process.
- External testers must sign SAP’s Non-Disclosure and Penetration Test Agreement before gaining access.
Assessment and Exploitation
Authorized testers use both automated tools and manual techniques to identify vulnerabilities in application configurations, user privileges, and exposed interfaces. This may include attempts to escalate privileges, bypass access controls, or extract sensitive data within approved boundaries.
Reporting and Remediation
The final report details vulnerabilities, their risk levels, and recommended mitigation steps. SAP ECS may review findings that affect managed components, while customer teams focus on remediating application-layer issues.
Penetration testing is an indispensable component for ensuring the resilience of SAP systems and components in RISE / Cloud ERP environments. By simulating attack scenarios, it provides tangible assurance that security controls are effective and vulnerabilities are promptly addressed. When performed in coordination with SAP ECS under formal rules of engagement, penetration testing not only strengthens the customer’s security posture but also reinforces the shared-responsibility model that underscores SAP’s cloud ecosystem. Regular, well-governed testing ensures that organizations maintain the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of their most critical SAP resources in the cloud.
Layer Seven Security is an approved SAP Services Partner. We offer a range of services and solutions to help secure SAP solutions in RISE/ Cloud ERP. This includes Penetration Testing for SAP and automated audits to identify compliance gaps against mandatory security and hardening requirements for SAP RISE/ Cloud ERP solutions defined by SAP ECS.