Our Manifesto for a comprehensive cybersecurity

Because traditional cybersecurity is broken, squeezed between a massive increase in the level of threat and an industry bogged down in acronyms and a shortage of resources,

Because SMBs, by lack of skills, resources or education, do not consider that they can afford to have a top notch security policy,

Because the level of threat is now on a mass scale…

… We believe that modern cybersecurity, especially for organizations with cloud-native operations, requires a different mindset.

• Traditional cybersecurity solutions do not help in securing organizations mostly relying on SaaS
• Cybersecurity is a business enabler as long as risks and expectations have been articulated and shared when it comes to these new architectures
• Cybersecurity belongs to every employee, not only to experts. As consequence, cybersecurity solutions should be informative, transparent, and actionable to everyone,
• Cybersecurity also requires automation. It is critical because manual tasks do not scale,
• Cybersecurity compliance is an incredible driver but should not be restricted to a checkbox. Being compliant does not mean being secured.

Therefore, it is time for a new generation of SSPM solutions!

The increasing prevalence of Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) applications in today's digital landscape necessitates a paradigm shift in the way we approach SaaS security. The uncontrolled sprawl of SaaS applications poses significant risks especially due to interconnectivity and, to some extent, the storage of sensitive business or personal data. Existing security teams are overwhelmed by the rapid adoption of SaaS by business users, and traditional SSPM solutions fail to adequately scale and secure all SaaS applications. To address these challenges, we propose a new approach that involves end users or SaaS administrators in the security processes and emphasizes basic best practices from the outset.

1. The Risk of SaaS Uncontrolled Sprawl:The proliferation SaaS applications has created a web of potential vulnerabilities. These applications often store business-critical or personally identifiable information, making them attractive targets for malicious actors. The uncontrolled sprawl of SaaS applications increases the attack surface and raises concerns about data privacy, compliance, and overall security.
2. Overwhelmed Security Teams:Existing security teams are struggling to keep pace with the rapid adoption of SaaS applications by business users. The sheer number and diversity of SaaS solutions make it challenging for security teams to monitor, assess, and respond effectively to security threats. This leads to a lack of visibility and control over the overall security posture, leaving organizations vulnerable to potential breaches and compliance violations.
3. The Need for Involvement of End Users and SaaS Administrators:SaaS security cannot be the sole responsibility of security teams. It requires a new paradigm that involves end users and SaaS administrators in the security processes. By empowering end users to take an active role in security, organizations can harness the collective knowledge and vigilance of their workforce. SaaS administrators, as key stakeholders, should also be engaged in implementing and enforcing security policies to ensure comprehensive protection.
4. Limitations of Current SSPM Solutions:Current SSPM solutions face significant limitations when it comes to securing the entire spectrum of SaaS applications. Many SaaS platforms lack APIs, making it difficult for SSPMs to integrate and enforce security policies effectively. Moreover, existing SSPMs often have limited visibility into the full SaaS stack, leaving blind spots that can be exploited by attackers. Additionally, the lack of clear coordination between security teams and business users hampers the implementation of holistic security measures.
5. A Focus on Basic Best Practices:We believe that any SaaS security policy should start with the implementation of basic best practices. These practices include strong authentication mechanisms such as Single Sign-On (SSO) and Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) to ensure secure access to SaaS applications. Furthermore, organizations must develop better methods to manage unmanaged accounts and handle employee offboarding to minimize the risk of unauthorized access. Additionally, detecting and monitoring App to App connections is crucial for identifying potential security vulnerabilities and ensuring a secure SaaS environment.

In light of the risks posed by SaaS uncontrolled sprawl, overwhelmed security teams, limitations of current SSPM solutions, and the importance of basic best practices, we advocate for a new generation of SSPM solutions. These solutions should enable organizations to achieve comprehensive SaaS security by involving end users and SaaS administrators, addressing the limitations of current solutions, and prioritizing basic security practices. It is time for a paradigm shift in SSPM to safeguard our digital assets and protect against evolving threats in the SaaS landscape. Together, let us embrace this new generation of SSPM solutions and fortify SaaS security posture for a safer and more resilient future.

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