Securing Software as a Service (SaaS) security is of paramount criticality in today’s digital age where the threat of data breaches and cyber threats consistently linger over us like storm clouds. Thankfully, there’s a way to protect the sensitive information they store. 

SaaS Security Posture Management (SSPM) is a security maintenance methodology designed to detect cybersecurity threats. It does so by continuously evaluating user activity monitoring, compliance assurance, and security configuration audits to ensure the safety and integrity of the sensitive information stored in cloud-based applications.

SSPMs play a crucial role in SaaS cybersecurity as the early threat detection they provide can make way for swift and effective action. And as the number of SaaS providers continue to rise, it’s become even more critical for them to be able to successfully navigate the complicated maze of data security best practices, such as decentralized storage, ironclad passwords, encryption both in life and end-of-life, robust employee training, a chain of custody, and a secure data decommissioning process.

In this blog, we’ll delve into some of the best practices for SSPM that organizations should adopt to safeguard their data effectively.

Decentralized Storage: Data Backup in Multiple Locations

From the personal information stored on our smartphones and computers to our home gaming systems, we all know the importance of backing up our data. The same level of care needs to be taken for SaaS applications, and backing up data to multiple locations is a fundamental aspect of data security. 

Data loss can be catastrophic for any organization. While cloud platforms typically offer robust infrastructure and redundancy measures, relying only on a single data center can leave organizations incredibly vulnerable to catastrophic data loss by way of major outages, man-made and natural disasters, or unauthorized access. Storing data in decentralized locations allows SaaS applications to enhance their redundancy and resilience against data loss because it eliminates single points of failure that are common with centralized storage systems. Decentralized data storage is also often incorporated with encryption and consensus mechanisms to further thwart unauthorized access. 

Compulsory Strong Passwords

Compulsory strong passwords are another essential component of SSPM. Weak or easily guessable passwords are low-hanging fruit for cybercriminals seeking unauthorized access to SaaS accounts. Implementing policies that mandate the use of complex passwords containing a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters can significantly enhance security posture and thwart brute-force attacks.

In addition, regular password updates and the implementation of multi-factor authentication (MFA) can add extra layers of security, making it exponentially harder for cybercriminals to breach your systems.

Encryption

Encryption is like a protective shield for sensitive data, scrambling the drive’s data into ciphertext, making it completely unreadable to unauthorized users, both during the drive’s life and in end-of-life. Typically, the authorized user needs to use a specific algorithm and encryption key to decipher the data. 

Implementing strong encryption protocols not only help SaaS applications meet critical compliance regulations but also foster trust among their customers and stakeholders that their data is being protected.  

After all, the assumption is that if you can’t read what’s on the drive, what good is it, right? Not quite.

Encryption is not a complete failsafe as decryption keys can be compromised or accessible in other ways and hacking technology is at an all-time high level of sophistication, so it’s vital to your data security to have a proper chain of custody and data decommissioning procedure in place to securely destroy any end-of-life drives, encrypted or not. We’ll talk about that more in a bit. 

However, even with this fallback, encryption is still a vital tool that should be combined with other best practices to secure the sensitive information being stored and collected.

Robust Employee Training 

Robust employee training is another indispensable tool for strengthening SaaS security. Human error and negligence are among the leading causes of data breaches and security incidents. As with any new skill or job, proper training provides people with structured guidance and knowledge to better understand the task at hand and ensures that learners are receiving up-to-date information and best practices. By fostering a culture of security awareness and providing comprehensive training, SaaS applications can empower their employees to recognize and mitigate potential threats proactively. 

Robust training makes it crucial for organizations to properly educate employees about cybersecurity best practices and the importance of adhering to established security policies and procedures, like a chain of custody.

Chain of Custody and Data Decommissioning Procedure

Last, but certainly not least, there’s creating and maintaining both a chain of custody and secure data decommissioning procedure. 

For context, a chain of custody is a detailed documented trail of the data’s handling, movement, access, and activity, from within the facility and throughout their lifecycle. A strong chain of custody guarantees that data is exclusively managed by authorized personnel. With this level of transparency, SaaS applications can significantly minimize the risk of unauthorized access or tampering and further enhance their overall data security. Not to mention ensuring compliance with regulations and preserving data integrity.

Part of that chain of custody also includes documenting what happens to the data once it reaches end-of-life. 

A secure data decommissioning procedure is essential for safeguarding sensitive information throughout its lifecycle. When retiring SaaS applications or migrating to alternative solutions, organizations must ensure that data is properly disposed of in accordance with industry regulations and best practices. 

While creating and maintaining both a chain of custody and decommissioning process, there is also a strong emphasis on conducting the decommissioning in-house. In-house data decommissioning, or destruction, is exactly what it sounds like: destroying your end-of-life data under the same roof you store it. Documenting the in-house decommissioning mitigates the potential for data breaches and leaks and is essential in verifying that all necessary procedures have been followed in accordance with compliance regulations, industry best practices, and provides you the assurance that the data is destroyed.

Conclusion

At the end of the day, when it comes to securing the personal and sensitive information you collect and store as a SaaS provider, the significance of complying with SSPM best practices cannot be overstated. By backing up data to multiple locations, enforcing strong password policies, leveraging encryption, providing comprehensive employee training, and implementing secure chain of custody and in-house data decommissioning procedures, SaaS providers can enhance their data security and protect against a wide range of threats and vulnerabilities.