The Growing Importance of Securing SaaS Attack Surfaces

The widespread adoption of SaaS applications has significantly broadened organizational attack surfaces, amplifying identity, data security, and third-party risks. Employees, acting as “citizen CIOs,” regularly establish new SaaS accounts—averaging one every two weeks—without IT department awareness, leading to unmanaged identities and potential data leaks. This unchecked SaaS sprawl creates attractive targets for cyber attackers, with web applications implicated in approximately 50% of security incidents. The rapid integration of generative AI tools, predominantly delivered as SaaS, further complicates governance efforts. To address these challenges, organizations must implement comprehensive SaaS governance strategies, including continuous discovery and monitoring of SaaS usage, to secure their expanding digital landscapes effectively.