How SaaS Security Posture Management Can Help You Stop Insider Threats

In the world of cybersecurity, a major risk is often ignored: insider threats. We hear a lot about outside attacks, but some of the biggest dangers come from people already inside the company. This article will discuss how SaaS Security Posture Management (SSPM) can help reduce these risks.

Why SaaS could be a Problem?

SaaS (software as a service) is fast, easy to use, and solves business problems. But it also creates challenges. Because it’s decentralized, anyone can connect apps, sometimes avoiding security checks and IT oversight. This has led to a big increase in insider incidents, most of which are accidental, not malicious.

As companies use more SaaS, they need a way to deal with these problems. That’s where SSPM comes in.

What are Insider Threats?

Insider threats are threats stemming from authorized users who misuse their access to an organization’s systems, data, or resources. This can include current or past employees or even contractors. Insider threats can be very damaging, leading to data theft, breaches, or disruptions.

There are two main types of insider threats: negligent and malicious. Negligent insiders don’t mean any harm, but they might not know much about security or choose convenience over security. For example, a finance employee might share sensitive data on Google Drive without using the right access controls.

Malicious insiders, on the other hand, deliberately misuse their access for personal gain or to harm the company. Layoffs and other workforce changes can make this a bigger risk because former employees might still have access.

What is SaaS Security Posture Management (SSPM)?

To fight insider threats in a world full of SaaS, companies need tools that can see everything that’s going on. SaaS Security Posture Management is a cloud-based security solution that automates security for SaaS environments.

The Advantages of SSPM

One of the biggest benefits of SSPM is its focus on security. By automating IT discovery and remediation and including end-users in the process, SSPM drastically improves security and saves time and money. Automation is key because manual security processes are slow and error-prone.

How SSPM Helps with Insider Threats

The average employee today uses dozens of different apps. When you multiply that by the number of employees in a company, you can see how big the SaaS problem can be. Employees can easily install apps without going through security, which creates a “Shadow IT” network of unapproved apps. Many of these apps can be risky and don’t meet security standards.

SSPM can find shadow IT and risky apps, and then work with employees to fix the problems. It can also see who is sharing what data with whom, without being intrusive.

Four Ways SSPM Can Reduce Insider Threats

• Find Insider Threats in Shadow IT: Shadow IT can be a big problem with insider threats. SSPM can give you a complete view of your SaaS environment so you can find and stop threats before they happen. Insider threats may exist in applications that security teams may not know exist.
• Revoke Access When It’s Not Needed Anymore: It’s important to constantly review and manage your SaaS stack to not have an unnecessarily large attack surface.  Monitor user access to make sure only authorized people can see important information and use necessary apps.
• Watch for Unusual User Activity: To be proactive about insider threats, you must watch for unusual user behavior. This includes strange data transfers, deletions, or attempts to access data. Advanced SSPM solutions can monitor activity in real-time and fix problems as they happen.
• Make Sure Departing Employees Don’t Have Access Anymore: When employees leave the company, it’s important to ensure they still have access to important information. SSPM can help by showing you who has access to what, so you can make sure former employees don’t become security risks.

SSPM is an essential tool for managing insider threats in a world full of SaaS. By automating SaaS security and giving you a complete view of your environment, SSPM can help you protect your data and resources from both careless and malicious insiders. As the use of SaaS continues to grow, SSPM is becoming more and more important for any company needing protection against a new generation of SaaS threats.