5 Actions to Boost NetSuite ERP Security

Cybersecurity and data privacy has proven to be a double-edged sword in recent years. These are also two of the world's fastest-growing threats. Cloud technologies and ERPs have always been at the center of such discussions and debates. An unprotected ERP poses a significant risk to any organization's sensitive data. Such risks must be understood by all stakeholders.

When you consider using an ERP for your business, it is critical to understand the preventive measures the ERP vendors take to prevent potential security threats. 

When you use Cloud ERPs provided by well-reputed vendors, such as NetSuite ERP to run your business, you can be confident that your data is secure. In this article, we take a closer look at all the security measures that are in place within the NetSuite ERP. Next, we take you through the best practices that every business must abide by to ensure additional tightening of security.

This information will be extremely useful if you are a business that currently uses NetSuite ERP, or is considering doing so.

So let's get started.

Top NetSuite ERP Security Features

NetSuite is a very secure ERP application in terms of security. NetSuite already includes a slew of advanced security features, such as:

• role-based access
• strong encryption
• robust password policies
• application-only access
• specific IP addresses and many more

NetSuite ERP with over 29,000 customers worldwide, is the world's largest cloud ERP software. NetSuite provides cloud infrastructure to ensure that businesses can confidently run their business management applications in the cloud. This is enforced in a variety of ways, including:

• Application Security
• Security of Operations
• Data Management
• Availability
• Energy Efficiency

Let's look at each one in detail:

1. Application Security on NetSuite

The comprehensive and flexible application security provided by NetSuite includes:

• 256-bit encryption standards
• enterprise-grade password policies
• role-based field-level security
• advanced features such as strong encryption, password policies, and more
  
  

2. Operational Security on NetSuite

End-to-end controls are provided by NetSuite's operational security, which includes:

• intrusion prevention and detection systems
• strict security certifications such as PCI-DSS and
• stringent physical security protocols

NetSuite is compliant with a number of audit and security standards including SOC 1, SOC 2, PCI-DSS, and the EU-US Privacy Shield framework. Furthermore, NetSuite security and risk management processes are modeled after the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and ISO 27000 series of standards.

3. Data Management in NetSuite

On the data management front, NetSuite offers:

• many levels of data redundancy
• world-class disaster recovery
• enterprise-level scalability to keep your business running 24/7

NetSuite users benefit from enterprise-class data management practices and rules, which reduce risk. NetSuite offers numerous degrees of redundancy to ensure that you have uninterrupted access to your data, as well as replication and synchronization across data centers for disaster recovery assurance.

4. System Uptime of NetSuite

NetSuite offers best-in-class availability with an SLA of 99.7% uptime and a money-back guarantee, as well as visible uptime status and availability. NetSuite’s enterprise-grade redundant infrastructure allows it to guarantee world-class uptime, with a five-year average of 99.96%.

5. Energy Efficiency with NetSuite

When compared to running on-premise, NetSuite's cloud infrastructure allows businesses to operate more sustainably and cut overall server room electric consumption by up to 99 percent. NetSuite enables businesses to save money while being more environmentally friendly. This environmentally friendly software strategy results in:

• less total energy wastage
• fewer emissions
• smarter technology management thinking
  
  

NetSuite ERP for Your Business

NetSuite has proven to take data security very seriously. Besides the many benefits of NetSuite ERP Implementation for your business, NetSuite also proves to be highly solid and secured software.

Unfortunately, data and information still remain at larger risk. It only takes one employee’s mistake, to leave the entire company vulnerable! Therefore, it is essential to follow best practices and take extra steps to ensure your NetSuite ERP (or any other software for that matter) remains secure.

Steps to Boost NetSuite Security

Here are some additional steps along with action points your business can implement, to keep hackers away from your NetSuite ERP.

1. IP Address Restriction

Determines which IP addresses are permitted to access a NetSuite environment. All you have to do now is configure your trustworthy IP addresses. 

ACTION: 
Go to Company Setup >
Company >
Enable Features.
Under the "access" section, you will see a check-box to enable "IP Adress Rules"

After this is checked, go to Setup>
Company > 
Company Information.
Under "time zone", you will find a box "Allowed IP Addresses". Type in the addresses you know are safe.

2. Passwords Policies

Adhere to established standards for password creation. Users should be encouraged to use two-factor authentication for all log-ins, particularly for roles that have access to sensitive data and require an additional layer of security (like Admin role). 

ACTIONS: 
For Password Setup  
Setup >
Company >
General Preferences >
Set up the password policy - weak, medium, strong (recommended)
Set the minimum password length - longer passwords (recommended more than 8 characters)
Determine password expiration in days (recommended monthly/quarterly)

Enabling Two-factor Authentication:
Requiring a second factor for authentication is a method of improving security. Your administrator can assign you a 2FA authentication required role. You will receive an email the first time you attempt to log in to your 2FA role. The email contains instructions and a verification code for your initial login to that role. You can use an authenticator app or your phone to generate the verification codes necessary during login.

ACTIONS:
Setup >
Users/Roles >
Two-factor authentication settings

3. Security Questions

The first time you log in to NetSuite, you are prompted to answer three security questions. These answers are used to verify your identity if you forget your password, or if you log in from a new browser or a new computer. This process helps to maintain application security by preventing unauthorized use of your NetSuite user credentials.

Be smart when answering security questions. Never reveal the real answers, and treat them with the same care as your main passwords. 

4. NetSuite User Policy

Draft a policy for your staff who use NetSuite on a regular basis. You can enlist the help of your IT department or a subject matter expert to train your personnel on NetSuite best practices.

5. Other Important Actions

Few other important considerations include:

• Make sure users always use the same link to log in. The best practice is to save log-in page bookmarks or use the log-in option on www.netsuite.com
• Integrate only trusted applications. Always double-check the security protocols of any app you want to integrate with NetSuite 
• Never open attachments from unknown sources 

Be Vigilant! Your IT infrastructure can be strengthened by carefully designing procedures and policies. You will lower the risk of data threats and attacks if you implement and update your security policy along these lines.

We hope you found this information to be useful.

If you have any comments/questions, we encourage you to post them below.

We are constantly building our NetSuite Resources library adding interesting and insightful content on everything NetSuite.