In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, securing business-critical data and systems has never been more crucial. As organizations continue to rely on SAP for their enterprise software needs, the importance of robust cybersecurity measures becomes increasingly apparent. Recognizing this critical need, Trend Micro and IBM have forged a powerful alliance to bring Trend Vision One™ to the IBM Power architecture, offering unprecedented protection for SAP workloads and beyond.
The Power of Partnership: Trend Micro and IBM
The collaboration between Trend Micro and IBM marks a significant milestone in the world of enterprise security. By combining Trend Micro’s expertise in cybersecurity with IBM’s prowess in high-performance computing, this partnership aims to address the complex security challenges faced by modern enterprises.
Laurent Montaron, in his announcement on the IBM community blog, highlights the significance of this collaboration: “It is with great pleasure that I welcome today’s formal announce of a leading Extended Detection and Response (XDR) solution on Enterprise Linux on IBM Power: Trend Vision One™” [1].
This integration is particularly noteworthy for SAP clients, who often operate in mixed environments, running SAP NetWeaver on IBM AIX and Linux, alongside newer SAP HANA deployments on Linux. The addition of formal support for Enterprise Linux, including both SUSE Linux Enterprise Server (SLES) and Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), allows Trend Vision One to secure SAP HANA deployments comprehensively.
Understanding the Threat Landscape
Before delving into the solutions offered by Trend Vision One and IBM Power, it’s crucial to understand the evolving threat landscape that organizations face today. According to Trend Micro’s research blog, several key trends are shaping the current cybersecurity environment [2]:
1. Increased focus on data theft and system sabotage: Ransomware and extortion accounted for a third of data breaches last year, according to Verizon.
2. Complex SAP environments: The diversity of modules, customizations, and integrations in SAP systems can create security gaps, making them attractive targets for cybercriminals.
3. Expanding attack surface: Known and zero-day vulnerabilities, misconfigurations, and legacy components further expand the potential attack surface for SAP on IBM Power systems.
4. File-based threats: Malicious content can arrive via various channels, including email attachments, file transfers, uploads, or external integrations.
5. Stringent cybersecurity regulations: New compliance laws, such as the EU’s DORA, are becoming increasingly rigorous and prescriptive about building cyber-resilience.
Trend Vision One: A Comprehensive Security Solution
Trend Vision One is designed to address these challenges head-on, offering a unified, user-friendly platform that helps organizations drive earlier, more precise detections and quicker, more complete threat response measures. Key features of Trend Vision One include:
1. Centralized Visibility and Management
One of the primary challenges in modern IT environments is the fragmentation of security tools and data. Trend Vision One addresses this by providing a centralized dashboard that offers real-time insights across the entire enterprise. This unified view allows security teams to correlate events and attack paths across various security layers, streamlining operations and enhancing overall security posture.
2. AI-Powered Extended Detection and Response (XDR)
At the heart of Trend Vision One is its advanced XDR capabilities. Leveraging artificial intelligence and machine learning, the platform can:
– Prioritize threat alerts more effectively
– Enable faster response times
– Provide better context for threat hunting and identification
This AI-native foundation is crucial for keeping pace with the ever-evolving tactics of cybercriminals.
3. Attack Surface Risk Management (ASRM)
In today’s complex IT environments, understanding and managing your attack surface is crucial. Trend Vision One’s ASRM capabilities offer:
– Continuous risk assessment across hybrid cloud environments
– Automated remediation of vulnerabilities and misconfigurations
– Unprecedented visibility into potential security gaps
4. Dedicated Threat Protection
Trend Vision One offers robust protection across a wide range of environments, including:
– Legacy and modern operating systems
– Physical, virtual, and cloud environments
This versatility is particularly valuable for organizations running SAP workloads on IBM Power, which often involve a mix of traditional and modern infrastructure.
5. Virtual Patching
One of the standout features of Trend Vision One is its virtual patching capability. This allows organizations to protect their assets against known and zero-day threats, even when official patches are not yet available or cannot be immediately applied.
6. File Integrity Monitoring
To ensure the integrity of critical systems, Trend Vision One includes advanced file integrity monitoring. This feature checks for unexpected changes to:
– Registry values and keys
– Services and processes
– Installed software
– Ports and files
By establishing a baseline secure state, the system can quickly identify and alert on any deviations, potentially indicating a security breach.
7. Log Inspection
Comprehensive log analysis is crucial for identifying potential security incidents. Trend Vision One’s log inspection capabilities can:
– Identify significant events buried in operating system and application logs
– Send relevant events to a Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) system for correlation and analysis
8. SAP Scanner
Perhaps one of the most valuable features for SAP customers is the dedicated SAP Scanner. This tool:
– Performs on-demand file scanning to protect critical information within SAP environments
– Integrates seamlessly with both SAP NetWeaver and SAP HANA platforms
– Analyzes uploaded content to identify potentially malicious scripts embedded or disguised within documents
– Auto-tags and reports malicious content to SAP systems through the NetWeaver Virus Scan Interface (VSI)
IBM Power: The Ideal Foundation for Secure SAP Workloads
While Trend Vision One provides the advanced security capabilities, IBM Power servers offer the robust, scalable foundation necessary for running critical SAP workloads. IBM Power has a long-standing reputation for system security, employing a multi-layered approach that includes:
1. Hardware-accelerated transparent memory encryption
2. Quantum-safe cryptography
3. Fully homomorphic encryption
These features ensure comprehensive end-to-end security at every layer of the stack, designed to meet even the most stringent regulatory requirements.
The reliability of IBM Power systems is equally impressive. According to an Information Technology Intelligence Consulting (ITIC) survey cited in the Trend Micro solution brief, IBM Power achieves a 99.9999% or greater availability rating [3]. This translates to minimal unplanned outages, with ITIC noting that PowerPC experiences just 3.3 minutes or less of unplanned outage due to security issues.
The Synergy of Trend Vision One and IBM Power
The combination of Trend Vision One and IBM Power creates a symbiotic relationship that addresses the complex security needs of modern enterprises running SAP workloads. Here’s how this partnership benefits organizations:
1. Comprehensive Protection for SAP Environments
With support for both AIX and Linux, Trend Vision One can secure both traditional SAP NetWeaver environments and newer SAP HANA deployments. This unified approach ensures consistent protection across the entire SAP landscape.
2. Enhanced Compliance Capabilities
As regulatory requirements become more stringent, the combined solution of Trend Vision One and IBM Power helps organizations stay ahead of compliance mandates. Real-time reporting and comprehensive security controls simplify the process of demonstrating compliance with various industry standards and regulations.
3. Optimized Resource Utilization
By automating many security tasks and providing a centralized management console, Trend Vision One allows IT and security teams to focus on strategic initiatives rather than day-to-day security operations. Meanwhile, IBM Power’s efficient resource utilization ensures that security measures don’t come at the cost of performance.
4. Scalability and Future-Proofing
As organizations grow and their SAP environments evolve, the combined solution scales effortlessly. IBM Power’s capacity on-demand features, coupled with Trend Vision One’s cloud-native architecture, ensure that security measures can adapt to changing business needs.
5. Reduced Risk Exposure
By providing unprecedented visibility into the attack surface and offering automated mitigation capabilities, the integrated solution significantly reduces an organization’s overall risk exposure. This proactive approach to security is crucial in today’s threat landscape.
6. Free Trend Vision 1 Trial on IBM Power
Claim your free trial of Trend Vision 1 here
Industry Recognition and Expertise
The partnership between Trend Micro and IBM brings together two industry leaders, each with a strong track record of innovation and excellence in their respective fields. Trend Micro’s leadership in cybersecurity is well-established, as evidenced by several industry recognitions mentioned in the solution brief [3]:
– Leader in the Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Endpoint Protection Platforms (EPP) since 2002
– Leader in The Forrester Wave™ for endpoint detection and response (EDR), XDR, and endpoint security Software as a Service (SaaS)
– Leader in 2023 IDC Marketscape, Worldwide Modern Enterprise Security
– #1 in cloud workload security (based on market share)
– #1 in public vulnerability disclosure with over 146 billion threats blocked since 2002
This expertise, combined with IBM’s long-standing leadership in enterprise computing, creates a powerful alliance that is well-positioned to address the complex security challenges faced by SAP customers.
Looking Ahead: The Future of SAP Security
As we look to the future, the partnership between Trend Micro and IBM represents more than just a current solution to pressing security challenges. It sets the stage for ongoing innovation in the realm of SAP security. With both companies committed to research and development, customers can expect continuous improvements and new features that address emerging threats and evolving compliance requirements.
“Trend Micro is excited to collaborate with IBM to deliver a unique combination of advanced cybersecurity capabilities within IBM’s powerful infrastructure to enhance security operations. The synergy between Trend’s leading threat expertise and IBM’s resilient hybrid cloud solutions forms a robust defense against cyber threats in diverse IT environments, empowering customers to achieve strategic outcomes and confidently navigate the dynamic digital landscape” [4].
Kevin Simzer, Chief Operating Officer at Trend Micro, emphasizes the strategic nature of this collaboration.
“Endpoint detection and response is increasingly important to our clients, employing continuous monitoring devices to detect and respond to cyber threats like ransomware and malware. We are excited to partner with Trend Micro to bring support of Trend Vision One to IBM Power. This partnership enables our clients to detect and respond to threats more effectively and build a more robust and resilient cybersecurity posture” [4].
Similarly, Gina King, Director of ISV Ecosystem & Alliances at IBM, highlights the importance of this partnership for their clients.
Conclusion: A New Era of SAP Security
The integration of Trend Vision One with IBM Power marks a significant milestone in the evolution of SAP security. By combining advanced threat detection and response capabilities with a robust, secure infrastructure, this partnership offers SAP customers a comprehensive solution to the complex security challenges they face in today’s digital landscape.
As organizations continue to rely on SAP for their critical business operations, the need for robust, intelligent, and adaptable security measures has never been greater. The Trend Micro and IBM partnership rises to this challenge, offering a solution that not only addresses current security needs but is also well-positioned to evolve alongside the ever-changing threat landscape.
For SAP customers running on IBM Power, or those considering such a move, the addition of Trend Vision One represents a game-changing opportunity to enhance their security posture, streamline compliance efforts, and focus on driving business value rather than managing security risks.
As we move forward in this new era of SAP security, one thing is clear: the combination of Trend Vision One and IBM Power is set to redefine what’s possible in terms of protecting critical business assets and data. It’s not just about meeting today’s security challenges—it’s about building a foundation for a more secure, resilient, and compliant future.
Sources:
[1] Laurent Montaron “Announcing Trend Vision One™ by Trend Micro with new support for SAP HANA on Enterprise Linux on IBM Power.” IBM Community, July 16, 2024.
[2] Trend Micro Research Blog. “Teaming up with IBM to secure critical SAP workloads.” Trend Micro, 2024.
[3] Trend Micro. “Trend Vision One™ for IBM Power Solution Brief.” Trend Micro, 2024.
[4] Jenna Murillo “Announcing Trend Vision One Security on IBM Power.” IBM Community, July 11, 2024.
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