Table of Contents
SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) applications have become vital for how most businesses operate today. However, securing data and controlling access in a sprawling SaaS environment full of sanctioned and unsanctioned apps is a major challenge.
According to recent research, the SaaS security market is projected to reach $43.3 billion by 2030, driven by the urgent need to protect corporate data across cloud applications.
In this comprehensive guide, we review the top 10 SaaS security solutions that help organizations gain visibility and control over their SaaS landscape.
Why is SaaS Security Critical?
With the accelerated adoption of SaaS, businesses are losing visibility into how their data is being accessed and shared. The dispersed nature of SaaS data makes it harder to enforce security policies.
Some of the key SaaS security risks include:
- Data breaches: Sensitive customer, financial or IP data getting exposed via misconfigurations or compromised user accounts.
- Account takeover: Attackers gaining access to employee SaaS accounts through phishing, credential stuffing etc.
- Insider threats: Employees mishandling data by sharing it externally or deleting it accidentally.
- Shadow IT risks: Related to use of unsanctioned apps outside the purview of IT and security.
Without adequate SaaS security, these threats can lead to compliance violations, brand damage, and loss of customer trust.
Types of SaaS Security Solutions
SaaS security solutions can be divided into two main categories:
1. Browser-Based Security
Browser-based SaaS security solutions monitor all web traffic across any browser to gain visibility into SaaS app use.
Key capabilities:
- Discover SaaS apps, identify users and track activity
- Enforce contextual access controls for high risk sessions
- Control actions like uploading/downloading data in SaaS apps
- Protect against malware, phishing websites
- Works across sanctioned, unsanctioned and PaaS/IaaS apps
Examples: LayerX, Grip, Talon
2. API-Based Security
API-based solutions integrate natively with popular SaaS apps like Office 365, G Suite, Slack via API connections.
Key capabilities:
- Granular visibility into high risk permissions, externally shared data
- Ability to correct risky configurations and user privileges
- Workflows for access reviews and remediation
- Limited mostly to sanctioned SaaS apps
Examples: Wing, Authomize, DoControl
Now let‘s review the top vendors across both categories.
10 Best SaaS Security Solutions
| Solution | Approach | Overview |
|---|---|---|
| LayerX | Browser-Based | All-in-one cloud platform for complete SaaS security |
| Grip | Browser-Based | Unified dashboard for managing SaaS security |
| Talon | Browser-Based | Browser with built-in SaaS controls for BYOD |
| Wing | API-Based | Automated SaaS security for sanctioned apps |
| Authomize | API-Based | Identity & access governance for SaaS security |
| DoControl | API-Based | Automate protection of sensitive SaaS data |
| Varonis | API-Based | Discover exposed sensitive data and secure it |
| Adaptive Shield | API-Based | App monitoring with auto remediation workflows |
| Torii | API-Based | Visibility into SaaS app spending and adoption |
| Island | Browser-Based | Enterprise browser for zero trust access |
Next, let‘s dive into detailed reviews of these top solutions.
#1) LayerX Security
LayerX offers the most comprehensive browser-based security for SaaS environments. It combines capabilities like user behavior analytics, zero trust access controls, and data loss prevention across both sanctioned and unsanctioned apps.
Key capabilities:
- One-click browser extension to secure all SaaS apps
- Control upload/download of sensitive data across apps
- Session lockdown based on risky user behavior
- Anti-malware and anti-phishing blocking
- DLP and insider threat alerting
LayerX provides frictionless deployment and the deepest visibility into SaaS app use for both IT-approved and shadow IT apps. It‘s an ideal choice for organizations struggling with sprawl across cloud apps and home/BYOD devices.
Pricing: Contact vendor
#2) Grip Security
Grip offers an integrated SaaS security platform covering threat protection, data controls, and compliance monitoring.
Key features:
- Unified view across sanctioned/unsanctioned apps
- Automate governance workflows
- App authorization, credential security
- Anomaly detection using analytics
Grip equips IT teams with an easy-to-use single pane of glass to track SaaS usage, configure security policies, and respond to threats. Their flexible platform suits growing companies embracing cloud apps.
Pricing: Contact vendor
#3) Zluri
Zluri is an AI-powered SaaS management and security platform that gives organizations full visibility and control over their SaaS ecosystem. It helps IT and security teams discover all apps in use, monitor shadow IT, and enforce compliance while optimizing SaaS spend.
Key capabilities:
- Automatic discovery of all SaaS applications used across the company
- Continuous monitoring for shadow IT and unsanctioned app usage
- Identity and access governance to prevent excessive privileges
- Data protection and compliance support (GDPR, HIPAA, SOC 2)
- Spend management insights to reduce SaaS costs while improving security
Zluri stands out for combining SaaS security with financial governance, making it ideal for organizations that want to secure SaaS usage while also cutting down on unnecessary software spend. Its automation-driven workflows save time for IT teams while ensuring compliance and tighter SaaS risk management.
#4) Talon Security
Talon Security provides a purpose-built zero trust browser for BYOD security. It overlays advanced controls on top of Chrome or Safari to secure access from unmanaged devices.
Notable capabilities:
- Granular policy enforcement based on context
- Malware/phishing threat prevention
- Secure file collaboration between apps
- Authentication gateway for SaaS access
With Talon, you can quickly add a layer of SaaS security for high risk users like contractors, temporary staff, and external partners accessing apps from personal devices. It‘s a modern alternative to VPNs.
Pricing: Contact vendor
#5) Wing Security
Wing is a leading API-based SaaS security solution combining auto discovery, analytics, and intelligent workflows.
Main features:
- Find sensitive/stale data automatically
- Classify apps by risk, map data flows
- Automate protection for high priority apps
- Ongoing monitoring for anomaly detection
Wing really shines for sanctioned app security across essential services like Microsoft 365, Box, Salesforce. Its advanced automation makes security teams more efficient.
Pricing: Contact vendor
#6) Authomize
Authomize focuses on identity and access governance for securing enterprise SaaS apps.
Notable features:
- Just-in-time provisioning
- Access reviews and certification
- Automate least privilege policies
- Audit logs for regulators
With AI-driven insights and one-click remediation, Authomize simplifies the process of locking down user permissions and access. It integrates with Okta and leading apps.
Pricing: Contact vendor
#7) DoControl
DoControl specializes in protecting sensitive data across popular SaaS apps.
Key capabilities:
- Scan apps to discover sensitive data
- Classify and label located data
- Get alerts on policy violations
- Automate remediation response
DoControl makes it easy to find exposed SaaS data that may violate regulations like HIPAA, GDPR, and bake those insights into security workflows.
Pricing: Contact vendor
#8) Varonis
Varonis offers an integrated platform spanning data classification, threat detection, and response.
Main features:
- Metadata-based connections show data use
- Dashboards track file exposures
- Automate least privilege enforcement
- Respond to suspicious activity
Varonis provides behind-the-scenes telemetry on how sensitive files are being accessed and shared. It‘s geared for heavily regulated organizations.
Pricing: Contact vendor
#9) Adaptive Shield
Adaptive Shield specializes in SaaS security automation using continuous analytics.
Key capabilities:
- Non-intrusive app integration
- Auto discovery of all connected apps
- One-click privilege fixes guided by AI
- Step-by-step response workflows
Adaptive Shield makes governance seamless by recommending and pushing changes based on suspicious signals uncovered from app monitoring.
Pricing: Contact vendor
#10) Torii
Torii offers deep visibility into SaaS app spend, adoption trends, and data flows.
Notable features:
- Dashboards track app ROI
- Workflow automation for offboarding
- Data residency maps for GDPR
- Alerts for suspicious activity
Torii enables IT to align cloud apps with business goals by spotlighting usage metrics beyond just security perspectives.
Pricing: Contact vendor
#11) Island
Island provides an isolated enterprise browser to enforce zero trust access for any web destination.
Key capabilities:
- Granular contextual policy engine
- Multi-factor authentication
- VM isolation protects host devices
- DLP and anti-phishing controls
The Island browser separates work activity from the rest of the device using microVMs. It brings hardware-level security to riskier remote workers.
Pricing: Contact vendor
These represent top options for securing your SaaS environment – both sanctioned and shadow. But several other factors come into play when choosing the right platform.
Key Considerations for Evaluation
Here are the most important criteria to evaluate contenders:
- Breadth of app coverage: Integrations with popular SaaS apps
- Deployment complexity: IT effort required for rollout
- Data residency requirements: Where data is stored and processed
- Pricing model: Based on users, volume of data activity etc.
- Ease of use: Learning curve for admins/end users
- Customer support: Availability of documentation/training
You also need to consider your organization‘s specific security priorities and gaps.
Are you seeing more threats from unsanctioned apps or sanctioned ones? Do you need tighter access controls or deeper activity monitoring? Building a proper requirements list before Starting proofs of concept simplifies selection.
FAQs about SaaS Security
Q1. Is SaaS secure enough by default?
While SaaS vendors implement baseline security like encryption and SOC audits, the shared responsibility model for cloud means their responsibility ends after infrastructure. The onus lies on customers to lock down identity, access, data, and threat protection.
Q2. What‘s the difference between CASB and SASE?
CASB refers to cloud access security brokers – point solutions to secure SaaS access and data use. SASE defines the convergence of networking and network security for the cloud edge. While CASB is a component of the SASE framework, it refers to a narrower set of use cases.
Q3. Does my existing identity provider handle SaaS security?
Standalone identity platforms like Okta and Ping provide the foundations for SaaS security via authentication and single sign-on. However, you need additional capabilities like session controls, data loss prevention, and user behavior analytics for a layered defense.
Q4. Is a proxy architecture better for SaaS security?
Legacy web proxies forced traffic through an on-prem appliance to apply security controls. But backhauling SaaS traffic adds latency, breaks native app experiences, and lacks scalability. Proxyless approaches represent the future here.
Summarizing the Best Solutions
| Solution | Key Strength | Ideal For |
|---|---|---|
| LayerX | Unified visibility and control for all apps | Broad, uniform SaaS coverage |
| Grip | Integrated platform with automation | Growing SMBs with limited security expertise |
| Talon | Hardened browser for unmanaged devices | Securing third party access |
| Varonis | Behavioral analytics for threat detection | Heavily regulated orgs |
| Island | Zero trust remote browser access | Enforcing least privilege policies |
Conclusion
Without deliberate SaaS security measures aligned to your digital risk appetite, cloud adoption can quickly turn into the enterprise equivalent of shadow IT sprawl.
As this guide outlines, you need a layered defense spanning access, data, apps, devices and threats to make SaaS safe for business.
Match security priorities to personnel strengths when evaluating these top vendors that can partner with your organization on the SaaS security journey. Revisit policies and tools every few months as more business flows through cloud apps.
And integrate leading practices like zero trust access, data-centric protection, and user behavior analytics today to minimize your SaaS risk exposure.