SaaS or Software-as-a-service platforms provide a quick and hassle-free way to access
applications on the internet.
We say that it is hassle-free because you do not have to worry about its software
management.
No timely updates, installation or security protocols are needed from the user's end.
However, that does not make them completely safe, which is why in this SaaS security
guide, we will discuss some of the best ways to keep your SaaS application safe.
But before that, let us first understand the issues that SaaS application owners face.
Common SaaS security issues
1. No catering to errors
Though a user does not have to install anything, the software can still face technical
glitches. Middleware, bugs and setup errors etc., are quite prominent in SaaS products.
Customers generally store their bank details, credit/debit card numbers, social security
number and email addresses etc., with the website for login and purchase purposes.
If businesses do not cater to these bugs, hackers can exploit them to steal all the
sensitive data present on the SaaS website.
This can invite huge financial penalties and reputation losses for the company.
2. Flawed identification and authentication policies
Many SaaS products do not have adequate security to identify the actual user. This
happens due to false access management.
Generally, poor password policies, unavailability of two-factor authentication and no
captcha verification lead to disasters.
Businesses must make strict access rules that are tough to breach; otherwise, their
customers will lose faith in them.
3. Poor coding issues
Poor coding leads to hackers injecting malicious codes or scripts into the user's web
page.
This allows them access to their browser, manipulating the session freely and
redirecting the user to a malicious website. This is also called cross-site scripting.
3. Zero auditing sessions
Throughout the SaaS product development, you must monitor your app constantly for potential bugs, data destruction, and unauthorized and unsolicited interjections.
You must conduct proper auditing sessions to get your product checked inside out by a
team of cyber experts.
But businesses generally leave their products on their own, resulting in data theft and
user exploitation.
Without regular auditing, an app owner can never know about the loopholes and
vulnerabilities present in the system.
Moreover, hackers have started using advanced tools to manipulate such vulnerable
SaaS apps.
6 Tips for Securing Your SaaS Product
1. Train your employees
To improve the security of your SaaS product, you must first educate those who are
working closely to keep your app running.
Cybersecurity practices are not limited to roles. Every department from marketing to
development must be aware of potential threats they may face.
Educated employees will refrain from clicking on unsolicited links that redirect them to a
malicious website.
They will also learn about the importance of monitoring the app for vulnerabilities.
So, before moving any further, ensure that your army is trained for battle.
2. Encrypt your data with an SSL certificate
Next comes data encryption.
If you are wondering, why do you need encryption? Well, you need to understand that
when your customers share their sensitive data with your website's server, it gets
passed over various systems in a plain text format.
Any hacker (in between) can see, intercept, or steal the data and use it to manipulate
your website.
But an SSL or Secure Socket Layer certificate prevents that from happening by
encrypting the entire data transferred between you and your customer.
It establishes a secure communication network through the SSL handshake process
and facilitates HTTPS or Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure encryption.
You must have seen a secure padlock ahead of the URL; that padlock signifies that you
are on an SSL-protected website.
Now the question is whether you need SSL for only a primary domain's protection, or do
you want the same SSL to protect multiple first-level subdomains associated with your
primary domain?
Suppose you only want to protect a primary domain. In that case, a regular SSL is
enough but, if you wish to protect level-one subdomains under the chosen main domain,
you need to buy an SSL wildcard certificate that can do the job for your website.
Investing in a cheap wildcard ssl certificate can help you save a lot of money and save you the
headache of certificate management hassles. Buying one from a reliable CA is also
imperative; you may consider purchasing a cost-effective yet premium certificate.
3. Hire dedicated security engineers
Though your staff is educated, you will need help with your SaaS product's technical
and security aspects.
If you can allocate a dedicated budget to hire a security engineer who can look after the
security issues, you can freely focus on product development.
Cybersecurity threats are not going anywhere. Hackers are developing modern systems
to compromise SaaS applications.
In most cases, a security engineer is found to have been missing in staff, someone who
can certainly identify and repel the attack.
So, emphasize security and hire a security engineer today.
4. Delete data that is no longer in use
Though it is best to resort to a no-storage policy, we recommend you delete all
redundant data if you don't need it.
If you find that a user has deactivated their account, you can delete all their data to
avoid future confrontations.
Moreover, do not integrate auto-login or email saving options on the login page. It might
be uncomfortable to enter their details each time they log in to some users, but it is for
their benefit.
It would help if you educated your userbase about the potential cybersecurity threats.
You can publish blogs to spread awareness about cybersecurity.
This way, you will avoid all legal complications arising from a breach.
5. Choose an authentic cloud vendor.
Almost all cloud vendors claim to be the best, but you should never go by their words.
You must only trust them if you feel that public opinion backs them.
Since your entire product will be on the cloud, you cannot go easy while choosing an
authentic cloud provider.
You must check out its social media presence. Look out for their reviews and ratings on
Google and social media channels.
And, if you are unable to choose any authentic service provider, well, Amazon and
Google are two well-known brands that you can opt for.
6. Integrate strict password policies and 2-factor authentication
Password is one of the common ways hackers use to breach a system. You must
ensure that your employees and users adhere to strict password policies.
Disallow creating passwords shorter than 12 characters. Also, ones that do not use
special symbols and upper- and lower-case letters.
A strong password policy is a key to cyber protection.
That is why you can also look to deploy 2-factor authentication on your login page.
By using a 2-factor authentication system, no user will be able to log in without entering
4–6-digit OTP sent on their registered email address and phone number.
So, bring strict password hygiene into practice.
Final Thoughts
After going through the website issues and SaaS security best practices, you must
have understood how the world will tilt towards SaaS products than traditional mobile
applications.
These days people trust the internet more than their own devices. That is why SaaS
products will boom in 2022.
But this also means that website owners have to take strict security measures to protect
their products from cybercriminals.
From choosing the right cloud vendor to employing strict data deletion and protection
policies, business owners need to toil hard this year to win customers, government and
search engines like Google.
So, follow these six tips given above and protect your SaaS website.
