Mon Jun 05

The Critical Role of Security Engineers in Understanding the SaaS Landscape

Security engineers often overlook the security of SaaS applications, including popular platforms like Salesforce. This blog post highlights the importance of security engineers gaining a deep understanding of their SaaS landscape and the potential risks of neglecting it. Learn why regular checks and integration tools, like ThreatKey, are vital for securing your organization's SaaS environment.

Written by: Jonathan Haas

Today, I want to chat about a topic that’s been on my mind lately – the importance of security engineers gaining a solid understanding of their SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) landscape. And let’s take a moment to call out one of the most widely used SaaS platforms out there: Salesforce. In fact, at ThreatKey, we recently launched an integration specifically tailored to cover Salesforce. But before we dive into that, let’s discuss why this knowledge is so critical.

First things first, it’s astonishing how many security engineers have never even accessed Salesforce, let alone secured it. I mean, come on, folks! Salesforce is everywhere, and chances are high that your organization is utilizing it in some shape or form. As security professionals, it’s crucial for us to have hands-on experience with the very tools we are tasked to secure. It’s like trying to protect a castle without ever setting foot inside its walls. It just doesn’t make sense!

Now, let’s address the elephant in the room – SaaS applications are often overlooked when developing an early security program, and that’s a recipe for disaster. We often get caught up in securing our cloud and network infrastructure, hardening endpoints, and implementing access controls, but what about those SaaS apps floating around in the cloud? They can become the weak links in our security chain if left unattended. Neglecting their security is like locking all the doors and windows of your house, but leaving the back gate wide open.

Here’s the thing: SaaS apps introduce a whole new level of complexity and risk to our security landscape. They often store sensitive company and customer data, and any compromise could lead to serious consequences. However, many security teams I’ve spoken to only check their SaaS settings on a quarterly basis, if at all. Can you believe it? That means between those check-in periods, the company could be at risk, and they might not even know it.

Think about it this way – your organization might have made changes, granted new permissions, or integrated third-party tools (for example, within Salesforce) without going through a thorough security assessment. It’s like leaving the front door unlocked for months and hoping no one notices. Well, folks, attackers notice, and they won’t hesitate to take advantage of any vulnerabilities they find.

That’s why gaining a comprehensive understanding of your SaaS landscape, and Salesforce in particular, is so critical. By familiarizing ourselves with the platform’s security settings, configurations, and best practices, we can proactively identify and address potential risks. We can implement the necessary controls, monitor for suspicious activity, and respond swiftly to any incidents that arise.

At ThreatKey, we’ve experienced firsthand the need for this level of understanding, which is why we developed an integration specifically for Salesforce. We recognized the importance of helping security teams gain visibility into their Salesforce environment, ensuring they have the necessary tools to protect against threats and vulnerabilities.

So, my fellow security engineers, let’s step up our game and dive into the SaaS world head-on. Familiarize yourselves with platforms like Salesforce, understand their security implications, and take the necessary steps to safeguard your organization’s data. Remember, it’s not just about locking the front door – it’s about securing every entry point, including the cloud-based ones.

Stay curious, stay vigilant, and let’s protect our organizations from the ever-evolving threats lurking in the SaaS landscape!