Zero Trust and Cloud identity security: SAP and Microsoft use cases

SAP environments are under siege but the real weak spot isn't where you think. See how Microsoft Entra ID and Zero Trust are quietly reshaping enterprise security before it's too late

- SUDHIR KOTHARI

Zero Trust architecture has evolved from a security framework into a business-critical imperative for enterprises running SAP environments in 2026. Organisations managing hybrid and Cloud-based SAP deployments now face unprecedented identity-based threats, with credential compromise accounting for 31% of all data breaches over the past decade, according to Verizon's 2024 Data Breach Investigations Report. The integration of Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure AD) with SAP security baselines offers a powerful defence mechanism that addresses these vulnerabilities while meeting the escalating compliance demands identified by IDC's 2026 enterprise security priorities.

The evolving threat landscape for SAP environments

The complexity introduced with hybrid SAP implementations that involve on-premise ERP solutions combined with Cloud solutions such as SuccessFactors or Ariba no longer protects IT assets in a way that can be guaranteed with perimeter security solutions, as these introduce intricate attack surfaces that are not well guarded with perimeter-centric security solutions. The attack vector is based on credentials, where 36% of attacks involve spear phishing attacks, with 24% being attacks where credentials are stolen straight away. Such data emphasises an important risk that more and more threats take advantage of identity-related vulnerabilities to jump from Cloud-based SAP applications and into core mainframe systems via insecure APIs and interfaces. The scattered visibility within hybrid environments exacerbates this risk. Security operations centres often fail to correlate suspicious Cloud login attempts with unusual API traffic in on-premise systems, allowing attackers to establish footholds in Cloud environments before laterally moving to exfiltrate sensitive financial data from core SAP ERP systems.

Microsoft Entra ID integration: A Zero Trust foundation