SaaS security refers to the frameworks, tools, and policies used to protect data, user access, and configurations across Software as a Service (SaaS) applications. As organizations increasingly rely on SaaS for everything from email to file storage and collaboration, securing these platforms has become a critical pillar of enterprise cybersecurity.
Unlike traditional applications hosted on-premises, SaaS apps are delivered over the internet and are typically owned and operated by third-party providers. This means companies lack direct control over the infrastructure, authentication methods, and even the devices used to access them, making SaaS security uniquely complex and requiring a multi-layered approach.
Securing SaaS applications requires a layered approach, but not all methods offer the same level of visibility or control. Many organizations rely on a mix of tools across identity, endpoint, network, and application layers. Below are the most common approaches to SaaS security, along with their strengths, weaknesses, and evolving roles in a modern security architecture.
SaaS applications are accessed through user identities, making identity the first line of defense. Companies can control the authentication method to SaaS applications as a method to discover and control access. Common products used for this method include single sign on (SSO), identity providers (IdP), and password managers. This method works well for core SaaS apps managed through an SSO but does not work well when users have an option to secure the SaaS accounts.
Endpoint security can help limit how users interact with SaaS apps, especially when apps require downloaded clients or integrations. While effective for managed devices, endpoint tools have limited reach when users access SaaS from personal or unmanaged endpoints. Some SaaS apps have download or integration options that allows them to use the app through an installed client rather than the browser. Endpoint products work well for managed devices; however, they are not able to secure SaaS apps or access from unmanaged devices.
Controlling Internet connectivity is an effective method to control SaaS access, and this is often done through a secure web gateway (SWG) and cloud access security broker (CASB), which are foundational elements of the Security Service Edge (SSE) architecture defined by Gartner. The challenge with network control is that it is not identity aware, meaning that alerts from this method cannot be triggered based on account creation or application usage. High volumes of false positives are a common complaint for this method.
SaaS applications themselves have vulnerabilities and misconfigurations are common attack vectors targeted by hackers. SaaS security posture management (SSPM) platforms analyze and monitor the SaaS application itself to ensure that they are secure, detecting configuration drift and other vulnerabilities in SaaS environments. SSPMs require SaaS integration and are designed to protect business-critical SaaS apps. Learn more about Grip's SSPM.
One of the most overlooked elements of SaaS security is the identity layer. Every SaaS app is accessed by a user, often with credentials that are reused, unmonitored, or connected via OAuth. As identity becomes the primary attack surface, securing SaaS accounts through identity-first security measures is essential.
Securing SaaS via identity provides visibility into:
Grip’s approach to SaaS security includes identity-based discovery and controls to close these gaps.
A modern SaaS security program should leverage a user-focused, identity-centric stragegy, to uncover the risks of both managed and unmanaged SaaS. At Grip, we refer to this as SaaS identity risk management, which enables organizations to manage the full spectrum of SaaS risks:
Comprehensive discovery is critical to understanding all apps (sanctioned and unsanctioned) that are being used by employees, as well as dormant accounts, users, and authentication methods. An identity-based discovery method is the most effective. Compared to network-based discovery used by SWG/CASB products, an identity-based approach discovers up to 5X more SaaS applications.
Most companies will have hundreds or thousands of SaaS applications that they need to secure, and not all SaaS applications are equal in risk. Prioritization is critical to ensuring that the riskiest applications are being secured first. Risk prioritization should be based on company specific attributes such as number of users, speed of adoption, and data being used.
This stage is about finding and fixing SaaS misconfigurations and preventing drift. Learn more about Grip's SaaS posture management capabilities.
SaaS governance and securing SaaS applications may be done in multiple ways. MFA can be enforced, the application can be added to SSO, or users can be required to use an IdP or a password manager, which requires follow up and confirmation. If the employee does not comply, or it cannot be added to SSO, the SaaS account can be secured by locking the account so that the user cannot access it.
SaaS security has multiple dimensions, so the actual securing of a SaaS application should be orchestrated across the various control layers: identity, endpoint, network, and application. This requires a specific SaaS security layer that is the foundational element of a SaaS security program that aligns with the SaaS security lifecycle, including comprehensive account offboarding. Grip's SaaS security control plane (SSCP) is the best solution for this.
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Traditional application security typically focuses on protecting software hosted on-premises or within private infrastructure, where organizations control the servers, networks, and endpoints. In contrast, SaaS security protects applications hosted by third-party vendors and accessed over the internet, often from unmanaged devices and unknown locations. This loss of direct control over infrastructure means SaaS security must focus on identity, access management, configuration monitoring, and app-layer orchestration to ensure continuous visibility and protection.
Shadow SaaS refers to apps adopted by employees or teams without IT approval. To secure shadow SaaS, organizations must first discover all SaaS usage across the enterprise. Once discovered, security teams can evaluate risk, enforce SSO or password managers, apply access controls, or revoke high-risk apps. Identity-based discovery methods, like those offered by Grip, provide much deeper visibility than network tools and are essential for securing unsanctioned SaaS use.
Yes. Misconfigured SaaS settings are one of the leading causes of breaches. Many SaaS apps come with default settings that prioritize usability over security, or admins can inadvertently change settings. Without continuous monitoring, organizations may unknowingly expose sensitive data, fail compliance checks, or grant excessive permissions. SaaS Security Posture Management (SSPM) tools (like Grip's SSPM) help detect and remediate misconfigurations.
Not all SaaS apps pose equal risk. Grip's identity-based risk prioritization helps teams focus on securing the apps that matter most, before they escalate into security incident. To learn more about Grip's SaaS Security platform, book time with our team.
Request a consultation and receive more information about how you can gain visibility to shadow IT and control access to these apps.
