August 19, 2024

Janessa Angela Alerre 

11th Grade

George Washington High School

What is Robotic Process Automation?

Robotic process automation (RPA) is quickly evolving, allowing robots to be easily built, deployed, and managed to mimic human actions. Vishnu KC, a senior software analyst lead at ClaySys Technologies further explains, “Robotic process automation is nothing but instructing a machine to execute mundane, repetitive manual tasks. If there is a logical step to performing a task, a bot will be able to replicate it”. It’s typically ideal for humans to do repetitive tasks, but RPA allows software robots to complete them faster and more consistently! However, it’s crucial to note that robotic process automation is not suited for all scenarios such as complex systems that change frequently.  

The Benefits of RPA 

The main benefit of utilizing RPA is it increases productivity, allowing human workers to exert less time on tiresome tasks that require energy. Instead, they can focus on higher-level tasks that use their skills. For instance, a human worker is responsible for moving data from a website into a Google spreadsheet. Robotic process automation quickens this process by extracting this data and entering it into the spreadsheet. This allows employees to devote their time to higher-value work, eliminating their workload of boring tasks.

Furthermore, human error is inevitable, especially when fatigue builds up. Luckily, RPA bots are designed to remember business rules and are tested to ensure that tasks are completed without error. RPA’s ability to improve process efficiency is just another significant advantage! For example, tasks and processes can be prone to errors and inconsistent results. Hence, requiring more time and resources to fix these issues can be controlled and processed through software bots! 

Security Risks of RPA

Although RPA is beneficial, data leakage and fraud are two extreme security risks. RPA handles repetitive tasks, so bots have access to sensitive data. If hackers can access this, it will cost businesses millions of dollars and pose a plethora of security issues. 

Since RPA development is an ongoing process, each team member must help ensure RPA security. This can be done through the involvement of key stakeholders such as project managers, an RPA team, and system owners. Hence, allowing them to discuss and consider potential concerns. Moreover, companies can implement the ‘least privilege’ principle, which ensures that each bot has access to certain components. This means it may restrict the bot's ability to read or write. This practice can limit the bot’s access to databases—protecting sensitive data in case of a cyberattack. 

Conclusion

Robotic process automation is an easy way to boost productivity and efficiency in companies. It can mimic human actions, and complete wearisome tasks—giving human workers opportunities to devote their time to other tasks. However, acknowledging the potential security risks of this ongoing development is crucial. RPA allows bots to have access to sensitive data—posing a huge threat to businesses. Therefore, if businesses choose to implement it in their workplace, it is crucial to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of doing so.