For small and medium-sized companies, SaaS services offer the convenience of on-demand access to essential tools, without the need to build complex internal systems.
However, these advantages come with unique security risks. Potential threats such as data breaches and compliance violations can derail operations and harm your reputation if not handled properly.
This guide will show you how to protect your SaaS applications through practical security measures and a helpful checklist. You’ll gain a clear roadmap for preventing data leaks, staying on top of regulations, and keeping your teams safe from threats.
Read on for tips that fit tighter budgets and smaller teams. You’ll also find OpenVPN’s comprehensive checklist for SaaS application security. Let’s get started.
We have one basic principle when it comes to SaaS security: anything worth protecting should not be openly accessible via the internet to just anyone — that includes SaaS applications. Therefore, you should isolate SaaS applications from the internet, essentially making it a private application. This will help enforce zero trust principals. But how do you do this when the SaaS application is an external vendor?
SaaS application security involves putting specific controls and measures in place to protect online software services. These protections ensure that only approved users can access the application and that sensitive data remains safe during transmission and at rest.
When you sign up for a SaaS solution — whether it’s for document management, customer relationship management (CRM), or team collaboration — your company’s data is stored and processed on external servers that your provider manages. This is all the information worth protecting that we mentioned earlier.
Securing these services often involves encryption methods, user authentication, ongoing monitoring, and awareness of the provider’s security practices. You can think of encryption as a digital lock system for your online software, guaranteeing that you and your colleagues can work without worrying too much about data loss or infiltration.
SaaS providers typically handle infrastructure and software updates, but customers share some responsibility for security. Poorly managed credentials, unmonitored activity, or misconfigured settings can allow intruders to access the system.
When your data resides in the cloud, you must trust the provider to uphold strict standards — but that trust is not enough. You also need an internal framework to ensure your policies and controls are in place.
To confidently run SaaS applications, especially in smaller organizations with limited staff and budgets, you need to follow some basic requirements, best practices, and precautions. These can be configured with a VPN, like CloudConnexa.
When these requirements are combined, you create a layered defense that’s harder for outsiders to break through. Even if one layer fails, others are still in place to prevent further harm.
Despite best efforts, threats persist. Here are four of the most common risks that SaaS customers face:
A significant portion of data breaches (a staggering 68%) involve a non-malicious human element, such as an employee falling victim to a social engineering attack or making an error, according to the Verizon 2024 Data Breach Investigations Report.
If an employee’s username and password are stolen or leaked, attackers can gain unauthorized entry unless additional safeguards, like multi-factor authentication (MFA), are put in place. For an IT manager, this statistic underscores the importance of strong password hygiene, well-defined login policies, and thorough logging of all access attempts.This is why using a VPN and allowlisting is so important.
Different industries face different regulatory requirements. Healthcare providers in the United States must align with HIPAA, while companies handling credit card data must meet PCI DSS guidelines.
Failure to meet these standards can result in fines and reputational harm. Consistent audits, record-keeping, and strict internal controls are key to navigating these requirements successfully. For example, if you work in healthcare, solutions like a HIPAA-compliant VPN can help you protect your data for more substantial compliance and a better patient experience.
Privacy concerns continue to rise. IBM’s 2024 Cost of a Data Breach report discovered that, from March 2023 to February 2024, the average cost of a data breach globally reached an all-time high of $4.88 million.
If you handle personal data, even a single leak could destroy trust — from your customers, employees, and partners. Not to mention how a breach can lead to lawsuits and hefty fines. A strong encryption policy and secure remote access connections help you avoid these costly setbacks.
Many organizations rely on a SaaS security checklist to address these threats systematically. Such a list is a straightforward reference tool for confirming that all necessary safety measures are in place.
If you want a structured approach to security, download OpenVPN’s comprehensive checklist to ensure you leave no gaps uncovered.
Download OpenVPN’s SaaS Security Checklist for a full rundown of these components.
Now that you know the importance of a SaaS security checklist, here’s how you can put it to work:
Securing access to SaaS applications does not need to strain your resources. By focusing on what matters — like encryption, authentication, and routine monitoring — you can safeguard vital company data without overspending your budget.
If you’re ready for more concrete steps, check out protecting access to SaaS with OpenVPN, where you’ll find further resources. You can also watch webinars about secure remote access to gain insights on broader network security.
OpenVPN has a long track record of helping businesses protect their data, especially when protecting access to SaaS apps. People in the industry use Access Server or CloudConnexa to securely connect remote teams and offices to SaaS services without exposing internal networks.
Whether it’s protecting sensitive patient, financial, or legal information that’s stored on your SaaS applications, OpenVPN can help minimize the risk of breaches with robust authentication measures, zero-trust enforcement, traffic monitoring, and more.
In each case, having a well-structured security plan paired with a business VPN solution such as OpenVPN significantly decreases the chance of data exposure.
Download the Comprehensive SaaS Security Checklist to kick-start the process. Start filling potential gaps in your security posture immediately, and arm your team with the knowledge and resources needed to protect critical data — no matter where they work or what device they use.