SAP buys Secude technologies to boost security

Identity and access management services wrapped into NetWeaver offering

Business software giant SAP is bolstering its security portfolio by acquiring a range of identity and access management software and consulting services from Secude, a Swiss firm SAP has previously partnered with.

The products SAP will acquire are Secude's Secure Login and Enterprise Single Sign-On. These will become part of SAP's NetWeaver Identity Management offering and the default security solutions for its sprawling range of ERP, CRM and business intelligence software.

Previously, SAP offered identity and access functionality for its business software suites via third-party vendors, often partnering with Secude. However, SAP is not acquiring Secude: the Swiss firm will continue to operate as an independent business focusing on its data protection portfolio FinallySecure.

Secude's products will enable SAP's customers to establish a single sign-on and identity federation into any user interface and legacy system.

By providing these products as part of SAP's suite, the security of a customer's IT environment will be enhanced as a result of encrypted communication paths that are pre-configured after installation at customer sites, said SAP executives in a statement, reducing total cost of ownership and administrative effort for the customer.

Initially, SAP will provide a basic version of Secure Login to its customer base of around 105,000 users, and then it will become a part of all new releases at no additional cost. The deal closes on 1 February and the first release of Secure Login is scheduled for the second quarter this year.

SAP is also hoping that some of Secude's security software developers and consultants will also transfer with the acquisition.