DoControl Included in The Forrester Wave™: SaaS Security Posture Management, Q4 2023
Renowned research and advisory firm Forrester has published The Forrester Wave™: SaaS Security Posture Management, Q4 2023. DoControl is thrilled to have been recognized among the 15 vendors in the overview. The report identifies the most significant SSPM vendors, showing how each provider measures up and helps security and risk (S&R) professionals select the right one for their needs.
The Importance of SSPM
In the ever-evolving landscape of cloud-based collaboration, SaaS Security Posture Management (SSPM) has emerged as a crucial safeguard against potential data breaches. While SSPM plays a pivotal role in identifying misconfigurations within SaaS environments, it is essential to recognize its limitations and the broader challenges organizations face in securing their data effectively.
SSPM, or SaaS Security Posture Management, refers to the suite of tools designed to identify and rectify misconfigurations within SaaS platforms. These tools act as vigilant guardians, preventing data from becoming publicly accessible due to configuration errors, thereby ensuring a secure operating environment for organizations.
SSPM tools are undeniably important as they meticulously scrutinize settings, identifying misconfigurations that could lead to data exposure. They are instrumental in fortifying the security posture of organizations by mitigating potential vulnerabilities and ensuring compliance with security policies.
However, it's crucial to acknowledge that SSPM, while invaluable, is not a panacea for the multifaceted challenges of SaaS security. One of its limitations lies in its exclusive focus on configurations. These tools excel at discovering problems arising from specific configurations but fall short when it comes to examining the actual data - how it is accessed, stored, and shared by users.
Data and Identity: The Real Attack Surface in SaaS Security
In the realm of SaaS, data and user identity are the real attack surfaces. Unlike Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), where misconfigurations are a primary concern, in SaaS, the focus shifts from configurations to the decentralized and complex landscape of data ownership and access control.
The collaborative essence of SaaS applications introduces an array of risks. Data is not only owned but also accessible and shareable by each user within the organization. External users, unmanaged devices, and the potential for inadvertent data sharing elevate the risk landscape.
The historical technical debt of data exposure looms large. Even with the implementation of SSPMs to fix misconfigurations, organizations still grapple with the challenge of cleaning up past data exposure incidents accumulated over years of SaaS usage.
Conclusion: Beyond Compliance to Comprehensive Data Protection
While SSPM tools play a crucial role in ensuring compliance and identifying misconfigurations, they fall short in providing comprehensive data protection. A holistic approach that considers data-centric security strategies, user behavior analytics, and a keen understanding of the collaborative dynamics of SaaS applications is essential to fortify the defense against evolving threats.
In addition to SSPM capabilities, DoControl provides an agentless SaaS data access control solution for complete visibility and control over SaaS data exposure. Unlike traditional CASB and DLP solutions, DoControl incorporates business context throughout the process, from asset discovery to machine learning threat detection and remediation, ensuring a fast and accurate response to SaaS security threats. We recognize that while SPPM is a valuable piece of the puzzle, it is not the entire picture in securing your SaaS environment.
