What are the security risks when using SaaS? Countermeasures to be implemented and information management points

SaaS, a service that allows software to be used on the cloud, can be accessed from anywhere with an internet environment, and multiple users can work simultaneously.

SaaS is an indispensable mechanism for companies to support the diverse work styles of their employees, but it is also true that using cloud services carries the risk of hacking and information leaks .

While security measures are largely the responsibility of the vendor, it is also necessary for the company, which is the user side, to take measures . Let’s establish a mechanism for using SaaS safely and protect the customer’s information and the company’s credibility.

In this article, we will explain the security risks associated with using SaaS and countermeasures. Regardless of whether or not SaaS is introduced, it will be useful for improving the overall network security system of the company, so please refer to it.

Table of Contents

While SaaS has advantages such as reducing the burden of system operation and making it easier to maintain the latest security system with automatic updates, there are various security risks.

Here are seven security risks and issues to consider when using SaaS.

1. Attacks by third parties or malware
2. Unauthorized access
3. Intentional or accidental data leakage
4. impersonation
5. takeover
6. Falsification of information or destruction of data
7. Impact on business if SaaS goes down

1. Attacks by third parties or malware

Among security risks, attacks by malicious third parties and malware have been regarded as dangerous for more than 30 years.

Malware refers to malicious software that performs unauthorized actions on your system . Examples include viruses, worms, Trojan horses, and spyware.

These attack methods include malicious methods such as restricting access to the user’s system and demanding money to lift the restriction, so caution is required.

In many cases, it is possible to deal with malware by strengthening security, so in SaaS operation, conduct a security diagnosis and take appropriate measures.

2. Unauthorized access

Many SaaS adopt a “multi-tenant system” in which the same system or service is shared by multiple users.

While it is convenient to grant access rights to many people, there is a risk of information leaks and unauthorized access unless the users who have access are carefully screened.

Unauthorized access increases the risk of damage such as falsification of information, destruction of data, and unauthorized login .

In order to prevent access information from leaking to the outside, it is necessary to operate with consideration for the handling of information, such as limiting access privileges to the minimum.

3. Intentional or accidental data leakage

Due to the characteristics of SaaS, which can be accessed from anywhere with an internet environment, human risks such as information leakage due to careless loss of a personal computer taken out and fraudulent acts by malicious insiders are also taken into consideration. need to do it.

No matter how strong the security system on the vendor side is, it cannot deal with damage caused by negligence on the part of the user. Users are required to understand the security risks and implement operational countermeasures.

4. Impersonation

“Spoofing” is the act of unauthorized access by a third party by pretending to be the person himself/herself, and the main causes are malware and information leakage.

Damage caused by spoofing includes cases of fraud damage and slander caused by fake business emails.

Not only when using SaaS, it is necessary to take measures such as not opening suspicious emails and setting complex and strong passwords.

5. Hijack

When using SaaS, if you reuse a single password or set a password that is easy to remember, your ID and password will be leaked to the outside, increasing the risk of being hijacked.

If a terminal such as a personal computer or smartphone or personal information is stolen, there is a risk that another person may impersonate himself and attack another person .

It is necessary to take measures such as using different passwords for each system, mixing upper and lower case letters, numbers and symbols, and setting longer passwords.

6. Alteration of information or destruction of data

Using SaaS while connected to an unencrypted public Wi-Fi may result in data leakage to a third party, falsification of information, or destruction of data.

If customer information or confidential internal information is falsified or destroyed, it can damage the corporate image and lose the trust of customers .

When using a wireless LAN, take security measures such as confirming that it is an encrypted network that requires a password when connecting.

7. Impact on business if SaaS goes down

One of the security risks is the hindrance to business when SaaS stops due to system failure.

For example, if Google, GitHub, etc. are attacked by a cyberattack, those workspaces will be unavailable until the system is restored .

It is important to check the security measures of the service provider before introducing them and formulate internal backup measures so that operations can be resumed as soon as possible even if SaaS is stopped.

Damage can be minimized by taking appropriate measures in preparation for security risks assumed in SaaS.

Here, we will explain nine security measures that should be taken when using SaaS.

1. Appropriate management of account information such as IDs and passwords
2. file encryption
3. Multi-factor or two-factor authentication
4. Communication access control
5. data backup
6. Single sign-on
7. Setting access rights
8. Creation of operational rules and guidelines
9. Implementation of employee training on security

1. Appropriate management of account information such as IDs and passwords

It is not uncommon for companies to use multiple SaaS. However, reusing the same password or setting a simple password that is easy to predict increases the risk of unauthorized use.

It is important to combine symbols and multiple alphanumeric characters, set , and manage the account information appropriately so that it is not leaked to the outside .

In addition, it is necessary to ensure thorough management rules, such as deleting IDs that are no longer used due to employees leaving the company .

2. File encryption

When sharing confidential or personal information files in SaaS, you can increase the security by encrypting the files at the time of upload.

Use the file encryption function of the SaaS service itself, or use an external file encryption service together .

In recent years, as technology for analyzing encrypted files has improved, the number of vendors adopting secret sharing systems has also increased. Secret sharing is a method of automatically storing uploaded files in multiple locations. It is attracting attention as an advanced security measure because it can be stored more safely than simply encrypting data.

3. Multi-factor or two-factor authentication

It is believed that implementing multi-factor authentication and two-factor authentication can greatly reduce the security risk of SaaS from cyberattacks.

Multi-factor authentication is a method of managing login information using factors other than IDs and passwords . For example, after performing personal authentication using an ID and password, there are methods such as issuing a one-time password or image authentication for approval.

With two-step verification, a random character string is sent to the email address you registered when you logged in, and it is combined with your normal password to perform two-step verification . This is a mechanism to prevent unauthorized login by anyone other than the person using the email address.

4. Communication access control

One of the characteristics of SaaS is that many people can share information with each other, regardless of whether they are inside or outside the company.

For example, for important confidential information, the risk of unauthorized access can be reduced by setting restrictions such as “allowing access only from the company’s own tenant” or “allowing access only from registered terminals”.

5. Data backup

Don’t forget to take measures in the event of a communication failure or system failure, and to back up your data. In the unlikely event that the data stored in the cloud is lost, the service user will suffer fatal damage.

Some vendors have multiple data centers, so by distributing data storage locations and performing regular backups , data can be restored more reliably.

6. Single sign-on

When using multiple SaaS services in parallel, management tends to be complicated because each account is issued individually, but single sign-on can reduce management resources and security risks .

Single sign-on is a function that allows you to use multiple software with a single user authentication . A single account management can control logins to multiple services, reducing the burden of password management and preventing leaks.

7. Setting access rights

When sharing important information such as confidential data or customer information in SaaS, set access permissions so that only specific users can access it .

By setting access permissions appropriately, you can reduce security risks such as information leaks and data tampering by malicious third parties.

8. Creation of operational rules and guidelines

The security measures necessary for users are not limited to technical ones. Conceptual measures to improve the internal system are also necessary.

Along with the introduction of SaaS, establish policies and guidelines for information security . This is because if policies and guidelines are not established, the scope of responsibility for information management becomes ambiguous, and there is a risk that appropriate measures cannot be taken in the event of a serious accident.

When creating policies and guidelines, it is a good idea to verify the necessary elements while considering the content of the service to be used based on the following items.

• Basic policy: Purpose of security measures and guidelines for the entire organization
• Standards for countermeasures: Information security protection measures, penalties, etc. for each department and project where countermeasures are taken
• Implementation procedures: Specific rules for actual operations and work flow

What is important is that all employees follow the operational rules and guidelines that have been created . Rules that are difficult to permeate within the company tend to become a mere formality, so let’s collect employee opinions and brush up on rules that maintain a high level of security.

9. Implementation of employee training on security

No matter how strong the system and rules are, if the security literacy of employees is low, the risk of information leakage cannot be reduced.

It is necessary to strictly adhere to basic rules , such as not connecting personal computers, smartphones, and other devices to the company network, and not taking company files and data out of the company using personal cloud storage or USB memory.

It is also important to make employees aware of the impact of an information leak .

It is also effective to hold seminars, etc., as a place to convey information such as the loss of credibility and brand image caused by information leakage, and cases where negligence of employees leads to dismissal and claims for damages.

If it is difficult to build your own security system in-house, consider using a convenient security service.

Security services that can be linked with SaaS include the following.

• IDaaS

IDaaS (Identity as a Service) is a security service that enables efficient SaaS ID management . When you log in to IDaaS, you can use multiple linked SaaS services together. Since IDs and passwords can be managed collectively, it is useful when using many SaaS.

• log report

The log report is a service that allows you to visualize the access history information to the service using graphs, etc. By checking the logs regularly, it is possible to check for unauthorized access and cyberattacks, and to respond quickly.

• EDR

PCs and smartphones that use cloud services are called endpoints, and EDR (Endpoint Detection and Response) is a service that monitors and checks these endpoints . For example, if you use a malicious cloud service and are infected with malware, the virus will stay in the device you used, so the vendor cannot deal with it. EDR makes it possible to detect and block malware that enters endpoints.

In dealing with security risks when using SaaS, it is necessary to assume all possible cases. By operating with the following four points in mind, more effective security management will become possible.

1. Build Your Own Security, Don’t Rely on SaaS Security Only

When using SaaS, it is important not to rely solely on the security and reliability of SaaS. Separate vendor-provided security from in-house security.

We are conscious of improving the security of all elements related to our IT assets, such as terminals and networks that use SaaS and the literacy of employees who use them, and building a stronger security system.

2. Reduce artificial vulnerabilities by centrally managing OS and software

In building a security system, there are many cases where multiple monitoring systems are combined and managed, such as OS and software updates, countermeasures against unauthorized connections, and monitoring of operation logs.

However, managing them separately raises concerns about security holes and vulnerabilities due to human error, so we recommend that you plan and implement security measures all at once.

Centralized management will lead to early detection and prompt countermeasures in the unlikely event that a security hole occurs.

3. Introduce a mechanism for business execution when SaaS becomes unavailable

Even if SaaS is not available, prepare an alternative mechanism that allows you to continue your business if it is temporary.

We recommend that you back up your data, prepare an environment that allows you to browse through multiple routes, and secure contact methods other than SaaS.

4. Periodically review the management and operation system

It is also important to periodically review the operation and management system in preparation for the security risks that are updated daily.

Even after establishing a management system, always collect information on the latest cyberattacks and computer viruses, and add countermeasures as appropriate.

Compared to building a new system in-house, SaaS offers many advantages in terms of safety and management costs. However, it is important for users to take security measures without relying on vendors .

After formulating guidelines and disseminating the importance and risks of security measures throughout the company, identify possible risks and consider specific measures such as multi-factor authentication and file encryption.

It is important to implement such internal security enhancements regardless of whether or not SaaS is introduced . In order for customers to feel secure in dealing with us, always keep in mind the thorough security measures.