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Blog | Intelligent Automation, RPA

How to Mitigate Your RPA Security Risks

May 10, 2021 | 3 min read

Author

Roboyo

Robotic Process Automation (RPA) has become a priority for most enterprise IT (Information Technology) executives. It can be easily implemented to automate routine activities, saving time and valuable human resources for businesses across any industry and geography.

RPA, as with any modern technology implementation, can be a cyberattack target directed at both human and non-human accounts. RPA bots work on confidential data, transferring it from one system to the next. If data is not protected, it can be leaked, costing businesses millions of dollars.

This is why we put RPA security at the top of our agenda when implementing Intelligent Automation solutions for our clients.

What Are the Security Risks of RPA?

Data leakage and theft are the two major threats associated with RPA. Critical data, such as RPA bot passwords or consumer data handled by RPA, may be exposed to attackers if appropriate security procedures are not in place.

RPA passwords are often exchanged so that they can be reused. A cyber intruder may intercept these accounts and passwords, use them to elevate privileges, and transfer laterally to obtain access to sensitive networks, software, and data when they are left untouched and unsecured. Users with administrator rights, on the other hand, will retrieve passwords from vulnerable locations.

However, there are many risk mitigation tactics that can keep your RPA systems fully protected, including proper governance and security mechanisms listed on this blog.

How we Mitigate risk and Ensure RPA Security

1. Ensure the bot actions are held accountable

Assigning a specific identity to each RPA robot and method ensures devoted authentication credentials and identity naming requirements. Privilege credentials should be removed from scripts and other vulnerable locations and stored in a consolidated, secured place. Along with the username and password authentication, two-factor human-to-system authentication is also applicable.

2. Restrict RPA account privileges

Account permissions can be increased as a result of RPA enforcement, raising the possibility of fraud. Limit the robots’ access by starting with minimum privileges and giving them restricted access to just the applications used to complete their tasks. An RPA script with a bot that copies values from a database and pastes them into an email, for example, should only have read access to the database, not write access.

3. Make sure the RPA platform generates accurate and consistent logs

The management team would need to look over logs if RPA security fails. RPA logging is usually routed to a different device where it is safely processed and rigorously sound. Leaders in security and risk management must ensure that the RPA tool generates an accurate, system-generated log that is free of loopholes that might obstruct any investigation.

4. Review and validate RPA scripts regularly

The build and maintenance of RPA robots should be a continuous operation. Meaning once robots are in production, a Robotic Operations Center should provide continuous monitoring and run the automation through necessary iterations to address risks detected from flagged incidents and exception reports.

To reduce security risks, make sure that the RPA console access is secured by protecting RPA administrators’ passwords with cyber-security best practices, track and isolate all incidents, and suspend or terminate suspicious sessions immediately. Create a risk system that assesses both the overall RPA implementation and individual scripts. Monitor and validate RPA scripts regularly, with particular attention to business logic flaws.

Organizations that use RPA to boost efficiency should carefully prepare their deployments to avoid security breaches. RPA introduces new application layers that are prone to attack. Furthermore, without continuous monitoring, bots can fail to function properly, resulting in problems, errors, and possible damage.

MAKING RPA EARN IT’S KEEP

Since bots may require access to sensitive data, businesses must implement appropriate cybersecurity measures. Creating governance systems, audit logs, login vaults, and version controls are only a few of these steps. By establishing these procedures, RPA would be able to manage security threats on its own, resulting in improved robot efficiency and lower risks for the business.

If you would like to know more about Roboyo’s RPA solutions, our automation experts can help take your enterprise to the Next Level. Now

Book a meeting today.