SaaS Information Security
Many Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) companies are initially focused on shortening their time to revenue—which often leaves information security on the back burner. Even when security is finally addressed, it’s usually on an as-needed/emergency basis rather than strategically. Sound familiar?
As a SaaS provider, your clients want to know their data is safe with you. Gaining that upfront trust with prospects can be the competitive advantage you need to close more deals. Over the years, CBIZ Pivot Point Security has worked with 100+ SaaS firms to help them define and achieve their information security and data privacy objectives.
Why Do SaaS and Information Security Concerns Matter?
SaaS security plays a crucial role in today’s interconnected digital environment. With large amounts of sensitive and confidential information being processed, transferred, and managed by SaaS applications each day, the importance of reliable security measures has never been greater. A breach of this data can lead to severe consequences, including significant financial losses and damage to a company’s reputation. A robust security strategy can protect sensitive data and ensure compliance.
The importance of SaaS security is closely linked to the characteristics of the SaaS model. Unlike traditional software deployment methods that rely on local, on-premises servers for data storage, SaaS applications store data on cloud servers maintained by the service provider. This off-site data storage necessitates a rigorous approach to security, as any vulnerabilities in the provider’s security protocols could expose customer data to various threats.
Our Approach to SaaS Security Risk Consulting
Aligning SaaS Security with Business Objectives
CBIZ Pivot Point Security provides SaaS security services (e.g. SDLC review, Static Application Security Testing, Software Composition Analysis, Dynamic Application Security Testing, Cloud Posture Assessments, and Penetration Testing) to help SaaS providers protect the critical data their applications process. We work closely with SaaS providers to tailor security measures aligned with their operational goals and compliance needs, ensuring actionable and sustainable strategies.
Our experienced professionals will collaborate with your team to identify potential risks associated with your SaaS infrastructure, develop strategies for mitigating those risks, and implement policies, technical controls, and procedures that ensure a robust security posture. With CBIZ Pivot Point Security’s expertise in SaaS security solutions, you can prove to clients that your SaaS is secure and compliant.
Overcoming SaaS-Specific Security Challenges
Our approach helps SaaS businesses address the unique challenges of shared responsibility models by defining clear roles for data and infrastructure security. SaaS firms should fundamentally aspire to move security “left”—meaning to bake security into the development lifecycle as early as possible. How this looks will depend on your development methodology. But pushing security as far left as you can is proven to be a very effective and efficient way to build, deploy, and improve secure applications.
As an example, if you subscribe to an agile development methodology, security would be integrated into each story in an agile sprint. Verifying security would be integrated into your pipeline and iterative processes, e.g., in the form of automated code scanning as part of each iteration.
It’s also key that your developers have the necessary security training and awareness. A practical option is to align your development methodology with an open, trusted framework or guidance, such as OWASP provides. You can count on CBIZ Pivot Point Security to develop scalable solutions to manage the complexities of multi-tenant environments effectively.
Focused SaaS Security Assessments
How you assess the security of your SaaS application and associated infrastructure is a central factor in how prospective customers and investors view the desirability of doing business with you. Meeting security demands and proving compliance is likewise central to your ability to scale your business and drive growth.
Well-known and widely respected forms of third-party security attestation, such as an OWASP ASVS assessment, a CREST-aligned penetration test, or an ISO 27001 certificate (especially with an ISO 27701 privacy extension if you handle PI), are all strong forms of assurance that build trust.
Trust is the lubricant that reduces time to revenue by accelerating SaaS business deals, including both client contracts and venture funding. At CBIZ Pivot Point Security, our in-depth assessments identify vulnerabilities specific to your SaaS platform, addressing compliance gaps. We use advanced tools and methodologies to deliver strategies that enhance security and support continuous improvement. We also pay attention to cloud issues and how to secure cloud environments through:
- Cloud-native application protection platform (CNAPP)
- Cloud security posture management (CSPM)
- Cloud infrastructure entitlement management (CIEM)
Simplifying Security Certification for SaaS
Trust can make or break a SaaS provider. With security still the top barrier to SaaS adoption, does your security posture make prospects confident they can trust you with their data?
If yes, you have a major competitive advantage. If not, your business is (potentially) in peril.
A great way to inspire trust is to demonstrate you’ve earned it. How better than to attain a widely respected, independent security attestation from an accredited third party?
But which InfoSec attestation should you choose? That can be a tough question, especially if you hear different compliance demands from regulators, clients, and other stakeholders.
Based on our experience supporting 100+ SaaS providers across diverse industries, here are our top picks, in order:
- ISO 27001—The international “gold standard” for information security across industries, earning (and keeping) an ISO 27001 certificate requires a formal audit with annual surveillance audits because it focuses on the management system more than the specific controls it is often considered the strongest and most comprehensive single form of independent security attestation for a SaaS.
- SOC 2 Type 2—For SaaS firms operating primarily in the US, a SOC 2 Type 2 report is an excellent attestation option that gives your stakeholders comprehensive assurance regarding your security posture in the form of a detailed report that can include “trust principles” for Privacy, Availability, Confidentiality and/or Processing Integrity in addition to security.
- OWASP ASVS—Especially for SaaS startups, it can make more sense to focus initial security efforts on your web application and worry about your infrastructure later. The OWASP ASVS gives you an open, standardized, comprehensive, and tunable framework for testing, hardening, and verifying your web application security. OWASP doesn’t offer formal attestation or certification against the ASVS, but it does define a range of “levels” and coverage areas to fit any SaaS use case. Further, you can still leverage an independent entity like CBIZ Pivot Point Security to document your “conformance” to your ASVS scope.
- CSA STAR—Launched by the Cloud Security Alliance in 2013, the CSA STAR attestation program focuses on “key principles of transparency, rigorous auditing, and harmonization of standards.” It offers three levels of assurance: self-assessment, independent audit, and “continuous auditing” (which is still under development). CSA STAR intends to extend the ISO 27001 controls with prescriptive guidance for cloud environments. For more information on how the Cloud Security Alliance – Cloud Controls Matric click here.
- FEDRAMP—The Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program is mandatory for SaaS providers working with U.S. federal agencies. FEDRAMP requires continuous risk assessment and management.
- PCI DSS—The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard is required for SaaS companies handling credit card transactions. PCI DSS ensures secure handling, processing, and storage of payment data.
- NIST 800-218 Secure Development Framework/OWAS Software Assurance Maturity Model—These frameworks provide assurance that the Software Development Lifecycle incorporates the practices necessary to ensure that the applications it produces will be secure and compliant.
We assist SaaS providers in achieving these essential certifications by streamlining the process and providing expert guidance. Our consultants ensure the certification process aligns seamlessly with your organization’s strategic goals and regulatory requirements.
Enhancing SaaS Information Security
What Is the Shared Responsibility Model for SaaS?
A shared responsibility model is simply an acknowledgment that in any cloud deployment scenario, each party logically has certain security and compliance obligations.
Leading cloud service providers (CSPs) like Amazon and Microsoft have done an excellent job explaining how security “of” the cloud relates to security “in” the cloud. Most simplistically, CSPs are responsible for the security of the cloud infrastructure, while end customers are responsible for securing the data they store in the cloud.
In the case of a SaaS, which relies on the CSP’s services but must secure its own solution, there is a three-way “shared responsibility triangle” between your end customers, your cloud service provider (CSP) (assuming you outsource hosting), and your SaaS.
In brief:
- Your CSP is responsible for securing the cloud infrastructure on which your service/solution runs, including virtual operating systems, virtualization/container layers, and physical/facility security.
- Your customers are responsible for protecting their data, securing their configurations, and maintaining identity and access controls to manage their users and endpoint devices and prevent unauthorized access.
- You are responsible for securing your SaaS platform, application instances, “internal” networks, associated virtual and physical infrastructure, and data. You are also responsible for configuring and using a CSP’s built-in security tools (e.g., web application firewalls, encryption).
In a shared responsibility model, responsibility and control are two sides of the same coin. Where control is abstracted away, so is accountability. Where you, the SaaS provider, are accountable, you have the power and control to create a robust security posture.
From this viewpoint, the shared responsibility model is not a liability but an opportunity—to differentiate your business from competitors, give your stakeholders peace of mind, and ensure you can effectively block threats, remediate issues, and minimize the impact of attacks to protect your brand reputation and business viability.
How Can I Optimize the Security of My SaaS Offering?
To align your security priorities with business needs, here are some questions to ask:
- What do each of my key stakeholders want/need?
- Customers/prospects – What kind of assurance do they want so they will choose you over your competition?
- Senior management – Are they just looking to be confident your application is secure? Or do they need to demonstrate a mature security posture to secure funding or sell the company?
- Partners – What kind of assurance do they want so they will keep doing business with you?
- What security certifications or attestations do you need to have?
- Which of your products/solutions/platforms must your attestation address (i.e., what is “in scope”)?
- Should you initially focus solely on securing your cloud environment? Or should on-premises solutions also be considered “in scope”?
- Is your development environment mature enough to be in scope or should you focus on your production environment first and expand the scope later?
- Do you understand, and can you live up to, your obligations according to a shared responsibility model?
- Do you need a top-tier, independent cybersecurity assessment like one based on the OWASP ASVS, ISO 27001, or SOC 2?
Integrating security into your development pipelines is critical for maintaining the integrity and trustworthiness of your SaaS offering. For instance, this includes implementing static application security testing (SAST) and Software Composition Analysis (SCA) tools in your CI/CD pipeline to analyze source code and libraries for vulnerabilities early in the development process. This proactive approach helps identify security issues before they reach production. You can also use dynamic application security testing (DAST) tools during the testing phase to assess the application in its running state.
Why Trust Us?
CBIZ Pivot Point Security has deep expertise in the SaaS vertical. We have worked with 100+ SaaS firms, many of which are ISO 27001 certified. We stand out through our demonstrated success in aligning with trusted and widely recognized security standards, ensuring our guidance is effective, consistent, independent, and actionable. We serve as your go-to source for information assurance, focusing solely on information security while leaving other professional services to their respective fields.
Acting as an integral extension of your team, we help navigate the complexities of security and compliance and provide support precisely when you need it most, especially during challenging infosec situations. Are you new to security frameworks and attestations? Not a problem! We can draw from our experience to ask the right questions, determine an efficient scope, navigate your current maturity level, and ultimately shorten your time to certification and revenue.
SaaS Information Security FAQs
How Can We Help You?
If you’re looking to enhance your SaaS security, our team of experts is ready to assist with comprehensive assessments and tailored solutions. Feel free to reach out and discover how we can strengthen your security posture. Schedule a consultation today to learn more about our services or for answers to any questions you may have.
