Application Security

Establish clear roles & rules to reduce your risks and
maintain operational continuity

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application security

Practical, business-led Application Security & Segregation of duties services

Weak application access and poorly designed roles increase your risks of losing data, being a victim of fraud or failure to comply to regulatory standards.  

Strengthen your controls and deliver measurable protection across your ERP landscape with BDO’s technical and tailor-made expertise. Fix your Segregation of Duties (SoD) issues thanks to our pragmatic role design and business-led governance.

Our Application Security & Segregation of Duties services

Are your applications safe from misuse or fraud?
  • Identify vulnerabilities and harden access controls with an Application Security Design & Review.
Can your access quality be maintained during ERP changes or S/4HANA transformations?
  • Rely on Transformation Quality Assurance to safeguard your controls throughout major projects.
Do you know what your Segregation of Duties risks are and how to address them effectively?
  • Remove high‑risk access combinations with a SoD Rulebook Design & Review + Role & User SoD Remediation.

Tip: we can help you map out your highest-risk processes during a SoD discovery workshop. We’ll present quick‑win remediation options and propose a phased programme tailored to your organisation.

Are there conflicts that cannot be removed due to operational reasons?
  • Mitigate your residual risks with compensating controls, monitoring and updated risk & control matrices.


How BDO can help

Minimise disruptions in your operational processes thanks to BDO’s pragmatic approach. No rigid frameworks, but tailor-made solutions.

Whether it’s a financial or supply chain ERP, our BDO experts have years of expertise across platforms and know the ins and outs of every regulated industry.

With a clear governance model, our improvements have a sustainable impact and support possible audits.

Our BDO accelerators ensure faster role building, testing and reporting. All while always keeping in mind your organisation’s wishes and needs.

Our Application Security Services

Neglecting application security can pose significant risks during your ERP transformation journey. Without proper roles and access controls, your sensitive data may be exposed to unauthorised users, leading to data breaches and compliance violations.

BDO designs and implements secure roles and access controls specifically tailored for ERP transformations, applying the principle of ‘least privilege’ throughout the software development lifecycle.

We assess your organisation's unique workflows to create roles that balance functionality with security, then develop a comprehensive access control strategy covering role definitions, user provisioning, and regular reviews. Through regular reviews and monitoring, we help minimise unauthorised access risks while ensuring compliance with regulatory standards.

Our approach to role design



Let’s build a resilient application security framework that supports your long-term business objectives.
Without effective Segregation of Duties (SoD), your organisation faces increased fraud risk, unauthorised access to sensitive data, non-compliance and lack of accountability. Additionally, overlapping responsibilities among your employees can compromise your financial integrity and complicate incident investigations.

At BDO, we specialise in strengthening your organisation through a comprehensive approach to Segregation of Duties (SoD) rulebook implementation and thorough SoD analysis review.

We develop tailored Segregation of Duties frameworks and rulebooks that align with your organisation's processes, industry standards, and regulatory requirements.  To ensure your controls remain effective, our BDO experts identify critical roles, assess risks, implement comprehensive SoD rules, and provide ongoing monitoring. 

With BDO as your partner, you can achieve compliance and at the same time foster a culture of accountability and transparency throughout your operations.

Our approach to SOD rulebook implementation & SOD Analysis review



Together, we can empower you to establish effective internal controls that protect your assets and promote sustainable growth.
Poorly designed roles and unchecked user access create exposures that lead to financial loss, data breaches and regulatory findings.

Using a pragmatic three‑phased approach (Role Remediation, User Remediation and Residual Risk Mitigation), we design and implement a sustainable role model and control environment that:
  • Removes high‑risk access combinations from users,
  • Simplifies and rationalises legacy role structures,
  • Enables audit‑ready access governance and reporting. 
We deliver a clear, staged remediation programme that balances IT effort, business decision making and residual control coverage.

As a next-generation ERP solution, S/4HANA offers a remarkable opportunity for organisations to streamline, standardise, and modernise their business processes, given that they choose the right SAP Partner.

However, without a robust control framework during your SAP S/4HANA migration, your organisation faces data integrity issues, compliance violations, increased fraud susceptibility, and operational disruptions that undermine the migration's intended benefits. These risks can result in inefficiencies and escalating costs that offset the value of your ERP investment.

Our blueprint for effective internal controls

BDO guides your internal control transformation throughout your S/4HANA journey, whether you're planning your transition or already underway. Our methodology includes strategic planning, control identification, risk assessment, comprehensive testing, and detailed documentation.

We work with your team to integrate controls into each phase of migration, then provide actionable recommendations to strengthen your framework. This approach ensures your S/4HANA implementation delivers sustained business performance while maintaining security, compliance, and operational integrity.

Get in touch with our Application Security expert

No matter the challenge or curiosity, we're here to support your business journey. 
Send us your questions, and our experts will provide the answers you need.