The Internet of Things (IoT) is both a blessing and a curse: While it offers tremendous potential benefits, it also fosters uncertainty when it comes to protecting these complex connections against unauthorized access. After all, as more things get connected to the Internet, the risk of hacker attacks also increases.
Considering IT security for all components: software and hardware
Attacks from recent years have taught us that merely protecting software components against viruses and malware isn’t enough: the hardware also has to be considered.
One example that we often see is that companies neglect to protect their server rooms against risks. The solution is both obvious and simple: The physical security of the hardware components must be ensured through real-time monitoring.
But before we get into the nitty-gritty of our project, we’d like to examine the term “Internet of Things” (IoT) in more detail, to explain our objectives in this integration project.
How the Internet of Things is changing IT security
The Internet of Things describes the increasing connectivity of devices and sensors, both with each other and externally, through an Internet connection. They respond exactly like the Internet in that they create open, spontaneous links, exchange data without restrictions, and support unforeseen applications.
This principle is already working in many areas of life – for example, as smart home applications and in manufacturing and industrial uses. But it can also be applied to security, for example, to monitor both materials and rooms. This is achieved by installing sensors in materials, or on the doors and windows inside the rooms to be monitored.
New possibilities for monitoring SAP systems
IoT integration in our SAST Security Radar (SSR) module achieves real-time monitoring of the hardware components (server room).
An alarm is sent to the SAP system with SSR integration in two cases:
- Door is open: After the door is opened, a row is added to the event monitor, with the date and time when the door was opened.
- The Raspberry Pi stops transmitting: If a connection problem arises between the Raspberry Pi and the SAP system with SSR integration, no signal is sent. This can occur when the Raspberry Pi is damaged, for example, or if the Internet cable to the Raspberry Pi is cut. Here, too, an alert is sent to the SSR in this case and displayed on the event monitor.
Are you curious to find out what else IoT can do? Would you like to learn more about intelligent connectivity and the real-time monitoring of SAP systems? If so, don’t hesitate to contact us: sast@akquinet.de You can also check out the SAST SOLUTIONS website for more information on our portfolio.
Hamza EL Khalfi, Working Student in SAST SOLUTIONS Development