Is it safe to use SaaS?

 Now that you've seen some of the main benefits of SaaS, it's time to answer one of the main questions for companies: So, is it safe to use SaaS?

It is a fact that choosing new tools for the job is no joke. Preserving company and customer data is of the utmost importance, so you need to ensure that your software is safe and reliable . And for that, it is not enough to rely on automatic pointing of Google's secure access.

Once the information has become the company's equity, companies are increasingly willing (and concerned) to protect it from cyber attacks and misuse by employees. So, in the list below you can check the most important items to be evaluated when hiring this service model and find out if it is safe to use SaaS.

1. Verify that the vendor guarantees efficient authentications

Migrating from an on-primis model to a SaaS does not have to put your operations at risk. Especially because companies that use cloud computing invest a lot in technology and qualified professionals . However, application security should be a concern from the start.

It is safe to use a SaaS when providers with expertise in delivering this type of service have secure authentication and monitoring systems capable of preventing unauthorized access. To ensure this, seek the following characteristics from the supplier:

Secure connections via HTTPS;

Access monitoring;

Encryption to protect information stored in the cloud;

SAS 70 type II.

In addition to these characteristics, you can also check if the service provider has an ISO 27001, the international standard and reference for the management of Information Security. This version of the certification guarantees the company's excellence in relation to data protection, attesting the standardization of its processes.

In general, Information Security is very important for SaaS companies, as it directly affects their credibility in the market. On the other hand, it is equally important for customers , who do not have to worry about the loss or exposure of their data. And the certainty that they are protected makes them both work more effectively and smoothly.

The systems engineer will often work together with a project manager and the engineering crew and becomes the primary point of communication to interlink between the two to simplify the accomplishment of a successful system.

2. Define appropriate usage policies

Usage policies are critical for your company to know that it is safe to use a SaaS. So, define who has access to sensitive information, whether it can be accessed from anywhere or just through secure IPs and authorized connections, and strengthen protection around sensitive customer and partner data. A template like that of the IT Manager can help when defining the general rules, but some adjustments may be necessary to make it even more suitable for your organization.

Also consider your employees' workflows when defining what kind of management powers they will have in each tool. That way, everyone will have access to only the essentials to complete their activities, and the risk of your company leaking or deleting information will be reduced.