As more and more organisations rely on Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) software for their day-to-day operations (such as employee coaching and compliance management) the importance of data leakage protection cannot be overstated.

Data leakage, or the unauthorized or accidental release of sensitive data, can lead to significant financial and reputational damage, as well as legal and regulatory consequences. In this blog post, we’ll discuss why data leakage protection (DLP) is critical for SaaS software and what organisations can do to protect themselves.

Why is data leakage protection critical for SaaS software?

There are several risks involved with SasS software. Let’s look at why data leakage protection is needed.

SaaS software is inherently more vulnerable to data leakage

SaaS software is accessed through the internet, which means that data is transmitted over public networks. This makes it more vulnerable to interception and eavesdropping, particularly if the data is not encrypted. In addition, SaaS software is accessed from multiple devices and locations, making it difficult to control access and monitor data usage.

SaaS software often involves third-party data processing

Many SaaS applications rely on third-party vendors for data processing, which can create additional opportunities for data leakage. If these vendors do not have adequate data protection measures in place, they can become a weak link in the chain and expose sensitive data to unauthorised parties.

Data leakage can lead to serious consequences

Data leakage can have serious financial, legal, and reputational consequences for organisations. In addition to potential fines and legal action, data leakage can lead to loss of trust from customers and partners, as well as damage to a company’s reputation.

What can organisations do to protect themselves from data leakage?

There are measures organisations can take:

1. Encrypt all sensitive data. Encryption is one of the most effective ways to protect data from interception and eavesdropping. Organisations should ensure that all sensitive data is encrypted both in transit and at rest.
2. Control access to data. Organisations should implement strong access control measures to ensure that only authorised users can access sensitive data. This can include multi-factor authentication, user permissions, and monitoring of user activity.
3. Monitor data usage. Organisations should monitor data usage to identify any unusual or unauthorised activity. This can include monitoring access logs, user activity, and data transfers.
4. Ensure that third party vendors have adequate data protection measures in place.
5. Ensure the SaaS solution has security accreditations such as ISO27001 and conduct daily, weekly, monthly etc scheduled tasks around leakage management.

Organisations should perform due diligence on any third-party vendors that process their data to ensure that they have adequate data protection measures in place. This can include reviewing their data protection policies, conducting security audits, and requiring them to sign data protection agreements.

Data leakage protection is critical for SaaS software. Organisations must take steps to encrypt sensitive data, control access to data, monitor data usage, and ensure that third-party vendors have adequate data protection measures in place. By implementing these measures, organisations can better protect their sensitive data and avoid the serious consequences of data leakage.

YakSafe: YakTrak's own data leakage protection software

We’re excited to announce the launch of our own data leakage protection software – YakSafe. YakSafe further enhances our already strong security profile. YakSafe goes one step further than standard DLP solutions. YakSafe prevents unauthorised data from being entered or saved into YakTrak in the first place.

With YakSafe, we’ve taken a huge step forward in protecting your data and reducing risk.

YakSafe is just one of the many security solutions YakTrak offers to protect against cyber threats. Our team of security experts is constantly monitoring the latest trends and developments in cybersecurity to ensure our clients share access to the most advanced and effective security solutions on the market.

To learn more about YakSafe, please contact our team: info@yaktrak.com.au

Photo by Sora Shimazaki via Pexels