How One Company Reduced Their SaaS Attack Surface by 60% in 30 Days

Understanding the SaaS Attack Surface Problem

The term "attack surface" refers to the sum total of all the points where an unauthorized user could potentially gain access to a company's data or systems. With SaaS, the attack surface grows in two primary ways: the sheer number of SaaS applications in use and the depth of permissions granted to these applications.

Many organizations suffer from "Shadow SaaS" applications and services being used without formal IT or security oversight. Shadow SaaS dramatically increases risk because these tools often lack proper configuration, monitoring, or security controls. Even sanctioned SaaS applications can pose risk if permissions are overly broad, configurations are lax, or outdated user access persists.

Before the company in this case study took action, their SaaS environment included over 150 distinct applications. Many of these were underutilized or duplicated, with overlapping functionality and excessive access rights granted to users. This sprawling ecosystem made it difficult to maintain visibility and control, increasing the risk of data leaks, compliance violations, and unauthorized access.

Step 1: Comprehensive SaaS Inventory and Usage Analysis

The first critical step in reducing SaaS risk is gaining visibility into all SaaS apps in use. This company leveraged a combination of tools including network traffic monitoring, identity and access management (IAM) logs, and direct surveys of employees to compile an accurate inventory of every SaaS application accessed.

What emerged was a clear picture of the true SaaS footprint 150 applications, but with many only lightly used or redundant. This inventory was further enriched with usage data such as login frequency, number of active users, and integration with critical business systems.

The company also identified several unsanctioned SaaS apps used for collaboration and file sharing, likely introduced by teams outside of IT's control. This phase exposed "shadow SaaS" risks and highlighted a large attack surface footprint that was mostly unmanaged.

Step 2: Risk Scoring and Prioritization

With a detailed inventory in hand, the next step was to assess the risk posed by each SaaS application. The company used a risk scoring model that considered factors such as:

• Type of data accessed or stored by the application (e.g., sensitive customer data, financial records)
• Vendor security posture and history of breaches
• Permissions and integrations granted to the application
• User access patterns and anomalous activity
• Compliance requirements relevant to the industry

This risk-based approach allowed the security team to prioritize remediation efforts toward the highest risk applications. For example, SaaS apps with broad access to sensitive data or those poorly monitored scored higher on the risk scale.

Step 3: Rightsizing User Access and Permissions

One of the most common SaaS risks is over-provisioning user permissions. Employees often retain access to SaaS applications even after changing roles or leaving the company. Excessive permissions increase the potential damage if credentials are compromised or misused.

Using their risk scoring, the company undertook an aggressive rightsizing campaign. This involved reviewing user access rights in IAM systems and SaaS admin consoles to ensure permissions aligned strictly with job requirements.

Inactive or dormant accounts were disabled or removed, and excessive permissions were downgraded to the minimum necessary for daily tasks. In many cases, permissions granted via third-party integrations were revoked if deemed unnecessary.

By tightly controlling user access, the company significantly reduced the number of potential entry points for attackers and limited lateral movement possibilities within their SaaS ecosystem.

Step 4: Eliminating Redundant and Underutilized SaaS

Another major attack surface reduction tactic was consolidating SaaS applications. The company found many instances where multiple apps served similar functions, such as project management or document collaboration. This redundancy not only wasted budget but also expanded the attack surface unnecessarily.

After consultation with business units, the security team decommissioned or blocked low-usage, redundant SaaS apps. Teams were encouraged to migrate to a smaller number of vetted and secured SaaS tools.

This consolidation effort simplified SaaS management and reduced complexity two key enablers for better security hygiene.

Step 5: Enforcing SaaS Security Policies and Automation

To sustain the progress made in attack surface reduction, the company implemented new SaaS security policies. These included mandatory security configurations such as multi-factor authentication (MFA) for all SaaS accounts, enforced password complexity, and regular access reviews.

Additionally, the company invested in SaaS Security Posture Management (SSPM) tools. These solutions continuously monitor SaaS environments for misconfigurations, anomalous user behavior, and compliance violations. Automation ensured that new risks were detected and addressed promptly without manual intervention.

By embedding these policies and tools into their operational processes, the company established continuous SaaS risk management rather than a one-time cleanup effort.

Step 6: Training and Awareness

No technical controls are sufficient without informed users. The company launched a targeted training and awareness program focused on SaaS security best practices. Employees were educated about the risks of Shadow SaaS, safe usage of SaaS tools, and recognizing phishing attempts that could compromise SaaS credentials.

The company also encouraged a culture of "ask before you add," requiring business units to get IT and security approval before adopting new SaaS applications. This cultural shift further helped prevent SaaS sprawl and unmanaged risk.

Lessons Learned: Best Practices to Reduce SaaS Risk

This SaaS case study highlights several key lessons for organizations looking to reduce SaaS risk rapidly:

1. Visibility Is Foundation: You cannot secure what you cannot see. Start with a comprehensive inventory and usage analysis of all SaaS applications.
2. Prioritize Using Risk Scores: Assess risk based on data sensitivity, permissions, vendor posture, and user activity to focus efforts on the most critical areas.
3. Minimize User Access: Rightsize permissions to the minimum needed and remove dormant or excessive accounts to limit attack vectors.
4. Consolidate and Standardize: Reduce SaaS sprawl by eliminating redundant applications and consolidating workflows onto fewer, well-managed platforms.
5. Enforce Policies and Automate Monitoring: Use strong authentication, security policies, and automated SSPM tools to maintain security posture continuously.
6. Engage and Educate Users: Foster awareness of SaaS risks and promote responsible use to prevent shadow SaaS growth.
7. Make SaaS Security an Ongoing Process: SaaS environments change rapidly; continuous visibility, review, and adaptation are essential.

The Broader Importance of SaaS Attack Surface Management

As organizations embrace cloud-first digital transformation, SaaS adoption is only accelerating. Yet unmanaged SaaS environments are a top source of data breaches and insider threats.

Reducing the SaaS attack surface is not a one-off project but a continuous discipline requiring visibility, governance, technology, and culture change. This case study proves that with clear focus and the right approach, even large and complex SaaS footprints can be effectively managed and risk substantially reduced in a short timeframe.

CISOs and IT leaders should take note that rapid wins in SaaS risk reduction are achievable without compromising business agility. By applying risk-based prioritization, automation, and user education, organizations can secure their SaaS stacks against emerging threats while enabling the innovation and flexibility SaaS promises.