1. Perform risk assessments on cloud-based applications.
Organizations should assess the security of their SaaS applications to identify risks and vulnerabilities. This can be done through an external audit, penetration testing, and manual reviews of code.
2. Verify and monitor data access permissions.
Data access should be verified and monitored to ensure that only authorized personnel has access. Any changes in user roles or permissions should be noted and documented for review.
3. Implement multi-factor authentication for user accounts.
Multi-factor authentication requires users to provide additional credentials such as a random code or biometric scan in addition to their username and password. This helps protect against unauthorized access.
4. Ensure data encryption is enabled wherever possible.
Data encryption helps protect sensitive information from being accessed by unauthorized parties. Encryption should be enabled and all keys stored securely.
5. Regularly update SaaS applications with the latest patches and security updates.
Software vendors regularly release updates to address security vulnerabilities. It is important that organizations remain up-to-date on these patches and security updates in order to thwart potential threats.
6. Monitor logs to detect suspicious activity such as unauthorized logins or changes in user roles.
Logs should be monitored on a regular basis to detect any suspicious activity. Any unauthorized logins or changes in user roles should be investigated immediately.
7. Establish a policy of least privilege to restrict users’ access rights.
A policy of least privilege should be established to ensure only the necessary users have access to sensitive data. Access rights should be regularly reviewed and updated as needed.
8. Configure firewall rules and alerting policies based on known threats.
Firewalls and alerting policies should be configured to detect known threats and unauthorized access attempts.
9. Restrict physical access to hosted servers where applicable.
Hosted servers should be physically secured and access restricted to authorized personnel only.
10. 10. Document all system changes, including software installations.
All system changes should be documented, including software installations and updates. This provides a reference for future audits and investigations.