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SaaS usage is increasing due to increased work productivity, cost efficiency, and scalability. SaaS plays a key role in various businesses, but security remains a major challenge. As more SaaS is used in enterprises, more and more organizations are exposed to security issues. A good security policy must be established for each SaaS so that sensitive data generated within SaaS is not compromised by hackers, malicious insiders, or other cyber threats. In particular, it is essential to establish appropriate security policies within an organization for industries dealing with sensitive information, such as finance, healthcare, and education, or for people in positions such as IT managers and security officers.

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This article explains the importance of setting SaaS security policies and introduces the four security policies supported by POPs to use SaaS securely.

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What is a SaaS security policy?

SaaS security policies refer to the rules and procedures established to safely use and protect cloud-based software services. These policies include data protection, user access control, network security, application security, and compliance compliance. SaaS security policies play an essential role in managing data securely in cloud environments and protecting it from external threats.

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The importance of SaaS security policies

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1. data protection

SaaS applications store and process sensitive corporate data. Without security policies, the risk of data leakage, corruption, or unauthorized access increases. Security policies can protect data by implementing data encryption, backup, and access control.

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2. compliance

There are legal regulations relating to data protection in various industries. For example, there are regulations such as HIPAA in healthcare, SOX in finance, and GDPR in the European Union. SaaS security policies can help you meet these legal requirements and avoid legal liability. Failure to comply with regulations can cause businesses to face huge fines and legal disputes.

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3. business continuity

A security incident can have a serious impact on a company's operations. For example, a data breach could paralyze a system or a ransomware attack could encrypt data. This situation can threaten business continuity, reduce a company's credibility, and cause a loss of customer trust. Strong SaaS security policies prevent these incidents and ensure the continued operation of the business.

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4. Cost savings

In the event of a security incident, recovery costs and losses can be significant. For example, a data breach can result in damage recovery, legal costs, and additional marketing costs to restore customer trust. On the other hand, setting and maintaining proper security policies proactively can prevent these incidents and reduce costs in the long run.

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Four security policies supported by POPs

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1. 2-Step Verification Policy

Two-step authentication is a method of entering an ID and password along with additional authentication such as ARS, security card, OTP, email, text message, and application. Even if the password is revealed, the account cannot be accessed without a second authentication method, so the account can be relatively secure. Many services such as Google, Instagram, Naver, and Kakao support two-step authentication.

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The two-factor authentication policy for POPs is based on an organizational unit. Every organization has a policy with two-step authentication as an option for the first top-level organizational unit. If two-step authentication is applied as an option, users can directly use two-step authentication as needed. If two-step authentication is required, users must log in through two-step authentication.

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Here's how to set a two-step authentication policy in POPs:

First, go to the Security → 2-Step Verification Policy menu.

After selecting an organizational unit for which you want to set a two-step authentication policy, set whether two-step authentication is required to apply to users belonging to that organizational unit.

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If a specific organizational unit is the target, select the organizational unit you want to set, and then select [Redefine] by selecting whether two-step verification is required.

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If the target is a scope that includes multiple organizational units connected to a parent organizational unit and a subordinate organizational unit, specify the settings for the highest organizational unit in the scope for which you want to set a policy and [save], and set the remaining organizational units to [inherit] the parent organizational unit, the same policy is applied to the organizational units in that range.

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2. Session timeout policy

Session timeout is a policy that allows users to log out after a set session time after logging in, as you've probably seen a lot on Internet banking or major institutional sites. If you don't set a session timeout, there is room for attackers to exploit sessions that are still connected, so this is one of the basic settings that must be set for security.

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Session timeout policy settings in POPs are similarly based on organizational units. All organizations initially apply the policies set as the default values below.

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- Maximum session time: Does not expire

- Inactive session time: does not expire

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Select an organizational unit for which you want to set a session timeout policy, and then set a session policy for users belonging to that organizational unit.

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If a specific organizational unit is the target, select the organizational unit you want to set, and then select a session policy to [Redefine].

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If the target is a scope that includes multiple organizational units connected to a parent organizational unit and a subordinate organizational unit, specify the settings for the highest organizational unit in the scope for which you want to set a policy and [save], and set the remaining organizational units to [inherit] the parent organizational unit, the same policy is applied to the organizational units in that range.

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3. network policy

POPs can register IPs for use by an organization and manage to allow access only through those IP addresses. IP address restrictions increase the possibility of improving data security. Users can authorize access to networks and apps from a list of individual allowed IP addresses, reducing the risk of data breaches and unwanted access. It also blocks traffic originating from malicious IP addresses and prevents indiscriminate password assignment attacks.

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To apply an IP restriction policy in POPs, go to the Security → Network Policy menu.

Similarly, select an organizational unit for which you want to set a network policy, and then set the allowed IP bands for users belonging to that organizational unit.

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Access to POPs administrators can be restricted based on IP addresses, which can help enhance security by protecting internal information and minimising unintended access.

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4. password policy

With POPs, organization administrators can set password-related policies at the organization level, such as password length, password change frequency, and password complexity, and apply them to users.

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If you go to the Security → Password Management menu, you can easily set password rules within your organization by selecting checkboxes. You can also protect internal users and systems by restricting reuse of previous passwords and setting a password expiration cycle.

Many cyber attacks occur through weak or reused passwords. A password management policy educates internal users about the importance of using strong passwords, raises security awareness, and promotes increased security across the organization.

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At the end

In the age of digital transformation, SaaS, which provides applications to end users through an Internet browser, has become an essential tool for business. Enforcing in-product security policies is essential to protect sensitive data within SaaS. However, as the amount of SaaS used increased, so did the number of points to manage. IT departments or security personnel must handle increased management tasks with limited resources.

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PoPS can apply enterprise-wide security policies at once. It provides an environment where you can set two-step authentication, session timeout, IP restrictions, and password management in one console. Instead of setting security policies for each SaaS, you can manage them in one place at a time with POPs.

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If you need specific details on how POPs can help you set up a safe work environment, feel free to contact us. 👉 Request a POPs demo

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