sap-security-authorization

name	sap-security-authorization
description	SAP security, authorization, and compliance skill. Use when designing PFCG roles, analyzing SU53 auth errors, checking SoD conflicts, implementing SOX/GDPR compliance, configuring IAS/IPS/XSUAA, or auditing user access. If the user mentions SAP role, authorization object, SU53, SoD, SAP_ALL, principal propagation, or BTP security, use this skill. Covers on-premise, S/4HANA Cloud, and BTP.
license	MIT
metadata	{"author":"SAP Skills Community","version":"1.1.0","last_verified":"2026-03-25"}

SAP Security & Authorization

Related Skills

• sap-s4hana-extensibility — Extension authorization patterns
• sap-build-process-automation — Approval workflow design
• sap-rap-comprehensive — RAP authorization (global/instance)
• sap-cap-advanced — CAP-level auth with XSUAA/IAS scopes
• sap-kyma-runtime — Kubernetes API Rule JWT validation
• sap-successfactors — RBP (Role-Based Permissions) model

Quick Start

Authorization error? Start here:

1. Run SU53 (or for another user: SU53 → Other User)
2. Check which authorization object failed and what values were needed
3. If SU53 is not enough, use STAUTHTRACE for full trace (captures all checks, not just failures)

Design a role:

1. SU24 — Check authorization defaults for the transaction
2. PFCG — Create single role, add transactions to menu
3. Generate profile → Adjust authorization values → Save
4. Create derived roles for org-level variations (company code, plant)
5. Assign role to user via SU01

BTP authorization:

1. Define scopes and role-templates in xs-security.json
2. Create role collections in BTP cockpit
3. Assign role collections to users/groups

Core Concepts

On-Premise Authorization Hierarchy

User (SU01)
  └── Role (PFCG)
        └── Profile (auto-generated)
              └── Authorization Object
                    └── Field = Value

Role Types

Type	Description	Use Case
Single	Contains tcodes, auth objects, field values	Job-based access
Composite	Groups single roles; no own authorizations	Combining functions
Derived (Child)	Inherits from master; only org-level values differ	Multi-org access

Naming convention: Z_<MODULE>_<FUNCTION>_<TYPE> (e.g., Z_FI_AP_CLERK_S, _C for composite, _D for derived)

Critical Authorization Objects

Object	Fields	Controls
S_TCODE	TCD	Transaction access
S_RFC	RFC_TYPE, RFC_NAME, ACTVT	RFC/function module execution
S_SERVICE	SRV_NAME, SRV_TYPE	Fiori/OData service access
S_TABU_DIS	DICBERCLS, ACTVT	Table access by auth group
S_TABU_NAM	TABLE	Table access by name
S_DEVELOP	DEVCLASS, OBJTYPE, OBJNAME, ACTVT	ABAP development
S_USER_GRP	CLASS, ACTVT	User master maintenance
S_USER_AGR	ACT_GROUP, ACTVT	Role assignment
S_PROGRAM	P_ACTION, P_GROUP	Program execution

BTP Authorization Model (XSUAA)

User/Group
  └── Role Collection
        └── Role
              └── Role Template
                    └── Scope ($XSAPPNAME.Read, $XSAPPNAME.Admin)

xs-security.json example:

{
  "xsappname": "myapp",
  "tenant-mode": "dedicated",
  "scopes": [
    { "name": "$XSAPPNAME.Read", "description": "Read access" },
    { "name": "$XSAPPNAME.Admin", "description": "Admin access" }
  ],
  "role-templates": [
    { "name": "Viewer", "scope-references": ["$XSAPPNAME.Read"] },
    { "name": "Administrator", "scope-references": ["$XSAPPNAME.Read", "$XSAPPNAME.Admin"] }
  ]
}

S/4HANA Cloud Authorization

On-premise PFCG roles are replaced by:

• Business Catalogs — Grouped app authorizations
• Business Roles — Assign catalogs + restriction types to users
• Restriction Types — Read/Write/Value Help access control (replaces org-level values)
• Maintain Business Roles Fiori app (replaces PFCG)

Common Patterns

Pattern 1: SU53 Error Analysis

1. User gets "No authorization" error
2. User runs SU53 immediately
3. SU53 shows:
   - Authorization Object: S_TCODE
   - Field: TCD
   - Required: ME21N
   - User has: ME23N, ME22N (missing ME21N)
4. Fix: Add ME21N to user's role in PFCG

For complex cases, use STAUTHTRACE:

1. STAUTHTRACE → Activate (filter: specific user, errors only)
2. User reproduces the action
3. STAUTHTRACE → Deactivate → Evaluate
4. Shows ALL auth checks with RC=0 (pass) and RC≠0 (fail)

Pattern 2: SoD Conflict Detection

Classic SoD conflicts to check:

Function A	Function B	Risk
Create Vendor (XK01/BP)	Post Vendor Payment (F110)	Fictitious vendor fraud
Create PO (ME21N)	Approve PO (ME29N)	Unauthorized procurement
Maintain Customer (XD01/BP)	Post Credit Memo (FB75)	Credit fraud
Create Employee (PA30)	Run Payroll (PC00_M99)	Ghost employee
Maintain GL Master (FS00)	Post Journal Entry (FB50)	Financial misstatement
Change User (SU01)	Change Role (PFCG)	Privilege escalation

Pattern 3: Security Audit Log Configuration

Transaction: RSAU_CONFIG (or SM19 on older systems)

Recommended filters (Dynamic Configuration):
1. Client: *, User: SAP* → Record ALL events (default user monitoring)
2. Client: *, User: FF_* → Record ALL events (firefighter monitoring)
3. Client: *, User: * → Record:
   - Dialog logon (successful + failed)
   - RFC/CPIC logon (successful + failed)
   - Transaction starts
   - Report starts
   - User master changes

Analysis: RSAU_READ_LOG (or SM20)
Enable: Set profile parameter rsau/enable = 1

Pattern 4: BTP Principal Propagation

User → IAS (authentication)
     → BTP Subaccount (SAML trust)
     → XSUAA (JWT token)
     → Destination (OAuth2SAMLBearerAssertion)
     → S/4HANA (API call with user identity)

Destination config:
- Type: HTTP
- Authentication: OAuth2SAMLBearerAssertion
- Token Service URL: <S4HANA>/sap/bc/sec/oauth2/token
- Audience: S/4HANA SAML provider name

Pattern 5: GDPR — ILM Data Blocking

1. IRM_CUST → Define retention rules per data object and legal entity
2. Configure residence/retention periods (aligned with local tax law)
3. Set up blocking policies (simplified blocking restricts read access)
4. Schedule destruction jobs (permanent erasure after retention expiry)
5. Implement Information Retrieval for data subject access requests

Key transactions: IRM_CUST, IRMPOL, ILM_DESTRUCTION, SARA

Error Catalog

Error	Cause	Fix
SU53 shows failed S_RFC check	Missing RFC authorization for function group	Add RFC auth to role: S_RFC with RFC_TYPE=FUGR, RFC_NAME=
"No authorization for transaction"	S_TCODE missing in role	PFCG → add transaction to menu → regenerate profile
Derived role not working	Master role changed but derived not adjusted	PFCG → open derived role → Adjust (Ctrl+F5)
401 on BTP app	Role collection not assigned	BTP cockpit → assign role collection to user
SAML token exchange fails	Audience mismatch in destination	Match destination audience with SAML provider name
IPS provisioning fails	Attribute mapping mismatch	Check IPS transformation JSON for correct field names
SoD conflict in GRC	Incompatible roles assigned	Add mitigation control or remove one conflicting role
Audit log not recording	rsau/enable = 0 or SM19 not configured	Set rsau/enable = 1; configure filters in RSAU_CONFIG
User locked after failed logins	Login/password lock parameters exceeded	SU01 → unlock; check login/fails_to_user_lock parameter
Certificate expired in trust	SAML metadata signing cert expired	Re-exchange SAML metadata with fresh certificates

Performance Tips

• Use SUIM reports for bulk authorization analysis (faster than manual SU01 checks)
• STAUTHTRACE with "errors only" filter reduces trace volume significantly
• Keep roles modular (5-15 auth objects per single role); composite roles combine them
• In BTP, minimize scope count per role template — JWT token size has limits
• Schedule RSUSR200 as background job for monthly dormant user detection

Key Tables

Table	Content
AGR_1251	Role → auth object → field → value
AGR_USERS	Role-to-user assignments
AGR_DEFINE	Role definitions
USR02	User logon data (lock status, last logon, password hash)
USR04	User-to-profile assignments
USOBT_C / USOBX_C	SU24 check indicators

Bundled Resources

File	When to Read
references/pfcg-role-design.md	Detailed PFCG role creation guide
references/authorization-objects.md	Full reference of critical auth objects
references/sod-matrix.md	Comprehensive SoD conflict matrix
references/cloud-identity-services.md	IAS/IPS configuration guide
references/btp-xsuaa-guide.md	BTP authorization with XSUAA
references/compliance-checklist.md	SOX, GDPR, ISO 27001 audit checklist
templates/xs-security.json	BTP xs-security.json template
templates/role-naming-convention.md	Role naming standard template

Gotchas

• SAP_ALL is not a role: SAP_ALL is a profile that grants all authorizations — never assign it to dialog users; use only for emergency/firefighter with full logging
• SU53 timing: SU53 shows the LAST failed authorization check only — if multiple checks fail, you may see a misleading result; run a full trace via ST01 instead
• Derived roles and org levels: Org-level values in derived roles override master role values completely — no merge; plan org structure before role design
• XSUAA vs. IAS: XSUAA handles application-level auth on BTP; IAS handles identity/SSO — they complement, don't replace each other
• Role transport: Roles transported via SCC1/STMS carry authorizations but NOT user assignments — reassign users in target system
• SoD is continuous: SoD analysis is not one-time; new role assignments can introduce conflicts — schedule periodic GRC Access Risk Analysis
• PFCG generated profiles: After changing a role in PFCG, you MUST generate the profile AND assign it to users for changes to take effect

Source Documentation

• SAP Help: Authorization Concept
• SAP Help: XSUAA Configuration
• SAP Cloud Identity Services
• SAP Help: ILM for GDPR
• SAP GRC Access Control