Unmasking Shadow Apps to Secure Your SaaS Stack

It is a tale almost as old as time: users click download, install, and accept as they adopt new software applications without considering the security implications, or getting approval from their IT team.

These shadow apps come in two forms. Some are standalone, completely disconnected from other corporate assets and applications. Others are integrated with existing applications and are granted far-reaching access.

Some shadow apps are unauthorized instances of software already in use within the company. For example, a development team might set up their own GitHub instance to separate their work from other developers. They may justify this decision by pointing out that GitHub is an approved application, as it’s already being used by other teams.

Why Are Shadow Apps Dangerous?

Shadow apps, including unauthorized instances of approved applications, operate outside the security team’s view. Lacking proper governance, they may store sensitive company data without critical protections like MFA, SSO, or strong access controls. Such misconfigurations can expose the organization to risks, including data leaks and access breaches.

Employees using unsanctioned apps may store, share, or process sensitive data without proper encryption or other protective measures in place. This increases an organization’s attack surface, providing threat actors with more entry points.

Additionally, this may lead to organizations to unknowingly violate compliance regulations, resulting in hefty fines, legal actions, and reputational damage. Without the knowledge of these apps or which teams are using them, let alone proper visibility into their security settings, organizations are blind to potential threats.

How Can Organizations Detect Shadow Apps?

A SaaS Security Posture Management (SSPM) platform plays a crucial role in enabling security teams to gain a 360-degree view of everything happening in their SaaS stack. With in-depth and continuous analysis of apps, users, and devices, security teams can better prevent, detect, and respond to threats.

SSPM streamlines the app discovery process for security teams, by reviewing OAuth integrations and monitoring SSO sign-ins to find unauthorized apps. Security team members can easily find unauthorized applications that have been integrated with the SaaS stack.

SSPMs also have the capability to connect with other security tools, such as email security systems, to expand and automate shadow app discovery. Email security tools regularly monitor email traffic for malicious links, phishing attempts, malware attachments, and other threats transmitted through email. SSPMs can ask email tools to find app onboarding emails, utilizing the permissions already granted to the email security system without needing to request additional sensitive permissions. This can help detect standalone apps that employees onboarded but didn’t connect to company resources.

What Should Organizations Do After Discovering Shadow IT?

Once discovering shadow apps, companies should take several proactive steps to address the situation effectively. The first step is to conduct a risk assessment to determine if the discovered apps can align with corporate policies. Assuming the answer is yes, organizations should then upgrade app configurations to comply with regulatory requirements and internal policies.

Security teams should monitor user activity and check permissions to ensure that only authorized personnel have access to sensitive data. Organizations should also prioritize data security by implementing protective measures and regularly checking the applications for potential threats.

By understanding the risks involved with Shadow apps, the methods of detecting them, and the steps to secure them, companies can mitigate risks while ensuring a secure SaaS ecosystem.

Get a demo of how an SSPM can secure your entire SaaS stack.

About the Author

After completing her BA in Communications, Zehava began her career diving into the world of content writing. She recently joined Adaptive Shield as Content Manager bursting with ideas to create engaging discussion around SaaS security and the rapidly developing world of SSPM. Oh, and she does
portrait drawings.
Zehava can be reached online at her LinkedIn and at our company website www.adaptive-shield.com.