Growing SaaS Usage Creates Management, Security and Compliance Challenges

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Growing SaaS Usage Creates Management, Security and Compliance Challenges

Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) has long been the most popular cloud computing model. It enables organizations to eliminate the cost and headaches of implementing and managing applications on premises. SaaS also increases productivity and flexibility, and allows organizations to take advantage of solutions they might otherwise be unable to afford.

The rise of remote and hybrid work models has revealed another advantage — SaaS makes it easier for employees to access applications and data from anywhere. According to a report from Blissfully, average per-company spending on SaaS increased 50 percent in 2020 compared to 2018.

Despite the proven benefits of SaaS, it comes with undeniable IT management challenges. SaaS upended traditional procurement practices, giving users the power to acquire applications and services without IT’s involvement. Users may turn to SaaS to fill gaps left by company-approved applications, or deviate from corporate standards because they prefer a particular SaaS platform. Either way, this shadow IT environment creates security and compliance risks.

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Lack of Visibility

It’s difficult to manage and secure what you can’t see. IT teams are unaware of all the SaaS applications in use, and have poor visibility into data that is distributed across hundreds or even thousands of sites. In fact, up to 50 percent of an organization’s SaaS environment is unknown and unmanaged, according to a study by LeanIX.

Shadow SaaS apps contribute to an expanded attack surface, and many of these apps lack enterprise-grade security features. Because the apps aren’t integrated with the organization’s security tools and procedures, policies aren’t applied consistently and the risk of data loss or exposure increases significantly.

The data stored in SaaS applications may include personally identifiable information that’s subject to government and industry regulations and privacy laws. However, the organization does not know where the information is stored and processed and who has access to it. Because the data isn’t secured and managed, the organization may face the risk of lawsuits and penalties for noncompliance.

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Security and Compliance

Securing SaaS can be difficult and time-consuming, even for applications that are sanctioned by the IT team. The typical SaaS application can be customized using a variety of configurable settings, increasing the risk of configuration errors that can leave sensitive data exposed. Few IT teams have the resources to manage security settings across the entire SaaS estate. In addition, SaaS applications are updated frequently, further compounding the challenge.

Many of these settings involve access privileges. It’s not uncommon for SaaS users to have full administrator rights, and account credentials are sometimes shared across multiple users. If credentials are compromised, a hacker could easily gain control of the application and data. Insider threats are also a significant risk.

Open APIs allow SaaS applications to share data — a desirable feature in terms of operational efficiencies. However, it’s difficult to track sensitive data when it can easily be transferred to other applications. Without a clear understanding of how data is shared, organizations cannot document compliance with data privacy mandates and regulatory requirements.

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How DeSeMa Can Help

In order to manage SaaS effectively, organizations need a way to discover all applications in use throughout the environment along with their associated data flows. This allows IT teams to identify security risks, including misconfigurations and elevated access privileges. Armed with an understanding of the SaaS estate, IT teams can develop a strategy for management and compliance reporting.

DeSeMa offers comprehensive asset management services, including a complete inventory of applications and data flow diagrams. We also provide security assessments to help organizations better understand potential threats. Our team is here to help you get a handle on your SaaS applications and boost your security posture.

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