8 SaaS Security Risks and How to Conquer Them

Top SaaS security risks to guard against 

Data leaks 

Each SaaS solution you deploy brings potential vulnerabilities to a data leak, plus enterprise vendors are often targeted by hackers because of the massive amounts of valuable data they process. Even if your company’s security is air-tight, you still run a risk, and this risk increases with each additional vendor that has access to your sensitive data. While you can’t always do much to influence a third-party entity’s security practices, you can and should closely vet new SaaS products before implementing them and maintain ongoing audits and monitoring. Doing your due diligence can lower the chances that someone else’s mistake will expose your data to unauthorized access. 

Supply chain attacks 

Cloud applications integrate with your systems to run smoothly, but this means a security breach in a third-party solution can provide attackers access to your SaaS environment. As above, conduct due diligence on SaaS vendors to judge whether their security practices are up to necessary standards. By employing a Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB), you can apply uniform security policies to cloud applications and minimize the risk of malicious actors accessing your systems through third-party apps. 

Misconfigurations 

Connecting third-party software to your existing cloud infrastructure can add layers of complexity, and this complexity multiplies opportunities for misconfigurations in SaaS settings. These can inadvertently leave critical data and systems accessible for unauthorized users. Admins should regularly review and update configurations to align with security best practices and should implement a change management process to track and approve configuration changes. Using a CASB solution to enforce uniform security policies will help, and you can even extend policies from other channels using a Security Service Edge (SSE) platform. 

Poor access control management 

Inadequate access control can lead to situations in which unauthorized users gain access to critical systems and data. Regularly review and update access permissions, using the principle of least privilege. Adopting an SSE platform can make it easy to keep track of who has access to what types of data across your organization. Properly discovering and classifying data is also crucial, and a Data Security Posture Management (DSPM) tool can help you ensure that all critical data is accounted for and given the proper protections. 

Shadow IT 

Securing access to SaaS applications can be challenging enough, but a particularly high level of risk occurs when employees use unauthorized applications known as shadow IT without the knowledge of security admins. It is critical that you communicate with employees about expectations and clearly explain the risks of shadow IT. Incentivize the use of sanctioned applications by making them easy to access and utilize a CASB that can safeguard access to all cloud applications, approved or not. 

Regulatory noncompliance 

The loss of sensitive data is the most serious risk that most companies worry about when adopting SaaS applications, but there's also the possibility that failure to comply with industry regulations and standards can result in legal penalties. Stay informed about relevant regulations and standards, and keep in mind that the global regulatory landscape is constantly evolving. Implement compliance management tools to monitor and enforce compliance. You can use a Data Loss Prevention (DLP) solution that comes with pre-defined policy templates to achieve out-of-the-box compliance, which will come in especially useful when expanding operations into new markets. 

Loss of stored data 

Inadequate storage and disaster recovery plans can lead to data loss during outages or cyberattacks. When vetting SaaS vendors, inquire into their data storage practices and how they plan to deal with catastrophic events. But also make sure that your own practices for storing, backing up and retrieving data are sufficient. Regularly test backup and recovery processes to ensure they work as expected and employ geographically-distributed data centers to enhance data availability and resilience. A DSPM solution can help ensure that all business-critical data is stored in the proper locations. 

Insider threats 

While you can take action to prevent unauthorized users from accessing sensitive data, insider threats from authorized users with malicious intentions or compromised credentials can be difficult to detect and block. You have to protect against insider threats appearing in your own systems ans also in SaaS applications that interact with your data. Implement strict access controls and monitor user activities andconduct regular security awareness training to educate employees about the risks and signs of insider threats. Utilizing a DLP solution with Risk-Adaptive Protection (RAP) capabilities can help you rapidly identify potential threats and mitigate them in real time with dynamic access controls. 

Start with securing cloud access and grow from there 

By understanding and addressing these SaaS security risks and concerns, organizations can better protect their data and maintain the integrity of their SaaS environments. Stay vigilant and proactive in your security measures to stay ahead of potential threats. 

Security Service Edge (SSE) technology offers a modern solution for building a comprehensive security strategy that addresses higher-priority channels first and scales easily. For instance, you can first utilize a Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB) solution to enforce security policies for cloud applications, then add a Secure Web Gateway (SWG) to protect web browsing and downloading and Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) for private applications. Each time that you add a new component, you can extend your current security policies, making implementation simple and providing visibility for data across all channels. 

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