SaaS functions include a wealth of delicate information and are central to enterprise operations. Regardless of this, far too many organizations depend on half measures and hope their SaaS stack will stay safe. Sadly, this strategy is missing and can go away safety groups blind to menace prevention and detection, in addition to open to regulatory violations, information leaks, and important breaches.
In the event you perceive the significance of SaaS safety, and want some assist explaining it internally to get your workforce’s buy-in, this text is only for you — and covers:
- Why SaaS information must be secured
- Actual-world examples of SaaS apps assaults
- The assault floor of SaaS apps
- Different forms of much less appropriate options together with CASB or guide audit
- ROI of an SSPM
- What to search for in the appropriate SSPM
What Is in Your SaaS Information?
Practically all enterprise operations run by SaaS. So does HR, gross sales, advertising and marketing, product growth, authorized, and finance, actually, SaaS apps are central to almost each enterprise perform, and the info that helps and drives these features are saved in these cloud-based apps.
This consists of delicate buyer information, worker information, mental property, price range plans, authorized contracts, P&L statements – the record is infinite.
It’s true that SaaS apps are constructed securely, nevertheless, the shared duty mannequin that ensures that SaaS distributors embrace the controls wanted to safe an utility, leaves their clients those who’re finally accountable and in command of hardening their environments and ensuring they’re correctly configured. Functions usually have tons of of settings, and 1000’s of person permissions, and when admins and safety groups do not absolutely perceive the implications of settings which might be distinctive to particular functions, it results in dangerous safety gaps.
SaaS Functions ARE Below Assault
Headlines have proven that SaaS functions are getting the eye of menace actors. An assault on Snowflake led to 1 firm exposing over 500 million buyer information. A phishing marketing campaign in Azure Cloud compromised the accounts of a number of senior executives. A breach at a serious telecom supplier uncovered recordsdata containing delicate info for over 63,000 workers.
Threats are actual, and they’re rising. Cybercriminals are utilizing brute drive and password spray assaults with regularity, accessing functions that would stand up to these kind of assaults with an SSPM to harden entry controls and an Id Menace Detection & Response (ITDR) functionality to detect these threats.
One breach by menace actors can have important monetary and operational repercussions. Introducing an SSPM prevents many threats from arising on account of hardened configurations, and ensures ongoing operations. When coupled with a SaaS-centric ITDR resolution, it gives full 360-degree safety.
You possibly can learn extra about every breach on this weblog collection.
What Is the SaaS Assault Floor?
The assault floor consists of a lot of areas that menace actors use for unauthorized entry into an organization’s SaaS functions.
Misconfigurations
Misconfigured settings can permit unknown customers to entry functions, exfiltrate information, create new customers, and intervene with enterprise operations.
Id-First Safety
Weak or compromised credentials can expose SaaS apps to assault. This consists of not having MFA turned on, weak password necessities, broad person permissions, and permissive visitor settings. This type of poor entitlement administration, particularly in advanced functions reminiscent of Salesforce and Workday, can result in pointless entry that may be exploited if the account is uncovered.
The identification assault floor extends from human accounts to non-human identities (NHI). NHIs are sometimes granted in depth permissions and are continuously unmonitored. Menace actors who can take management of those identities usually have a full vary of entry inside the utility. NHIs embrace shadow functions, OAuth integrations, service accounts, and API Keys, and extra.
Moreover, there are different assault surfaces inside identification safety:
- Id’s Gadgets: Excessive-privileged customers with poor hygiene units can expose information by malware on their machine
- Information Safety: Sources which might be shared utilizing public hyperlinks are at risk of leaks. These embrace paperwork, repositories, strategic displays, and different shared recordsdata.
GenAI
When menace actors achieve entry into an app with GenAI activated, they will use the software to shortly discover a treasure trove of delicate information regarding firm IP, strategic imaginative and prescient, gross sales information, delicate buyer info, worker information, and extra.
Can SaaS Functions Be Secured with CASBs or Handbook Audits?
The reply is not any. Handbook audits are inadequate right here. Modifications occur far too quickly, and there’s an excessive amount of on the road to depend on an audit carried out periodically.
CASBs, as soon as believed to be the perfect SaaS safety software, are additionally inadequate. They require in depth customization and might’t cowl the totally different assault surfaces of SaaS functions. They create safety blindness by specializing in pathways and ignoring person conduct inside the utility itself.
SSPM is the one resolution that understands the complexities of configurations and the interrelationship between customers, units, information, permissions, and functions. This depth of protection is strictly what’s wanted to forestall delicate info from reaching the fingers.
Within the current Cloud Security Alliance Annual SaaS Safety Survey Report: 2025 CISO Plans & Priorities, 80% of respondents reported that SaaS safety was a precedence. Fifty-six % elevated their SaaS safety workers, and 70% had both a devoted SaaS safety workforce or function. These statistics current a serious leap in SaaS safety maturity and CISO priorities.
What Is the Return on Funding (ROI) with an SSPM Answer?
Figuring out ROI in your SaaS utility is definitely one thing you may calculate.
Forrester Analysis carried out such a ROI report earlier this yr. They appeared on the prices, financial savings, and processes of a $10B world media and knowledge service firm, and located that they achieved an ROI of 201%, with a internet current worth of $1.46M and payback for his or her funding in lower than 6 months.
You may also start to calculate the worth of elevated SaaS Safety Posture by figuring out the precise variety of breaches which have taken place and the price of these breaches (to not point out the unquantifiable measurement of reputational harm). Add to that the price of manually monitoring and securing SaaS functions, in addition to the time it takes to find a configuration drift and repair it with no resolution. Subtract the full advantages of an SSPM resolution, to ascertain your annual internet advantages from SSPM.
An ROI calculation makes it simpler for these controlling the price range to allocate funds for an SSPM.
Request a demo to study what SSPM is all about
Deciding on the Proper SSPM Platform
Whereas all SSPMs are designed to safe SaaS functions, there might be fairly a disparity between the breadth and depth of safety that they provide. Contemplating that just about each SaaS utility comprises a point of delicate info, search for an SSPM that:
- covers a broader vary of integrations out-of-the-box and likewise helps customized, homegrown apps. Be sure it even displays your social media accounts.
- has the power to observe customers and their units
- offers visibility into linked functions
- is ready to detect shadow apps with capabilities to guard GenAI apps because the proliferation of GenAI inside SaaS apps is a serious safety concern.
- consists of complete Id Menace Detection and Response (ITDR) to forestall undesirable exercise whereas detecting and responding to threats.
SaaS functions type the spine of contemporary company IT. When attempting to justify SSPM prioritization and funding, be sure you stress the worth of the info it protects, the threats encircling functions, and ROI.
