Top 10 SaaS Security Companies of 2024 for Data Protection

The surge in Software as a Service (SaaS) applications has transformed business operations. However, this transformation does have its challenges. A report reveals that 55% of security executives have confronted a security breach related to SaaS. Businesses, from startups to established global enterprises, are in need of strong defenses to protect their digital assets.

A single breach can undermine customer trust, incur hefty fines, and damage reputations built over years. In this critical context, choosing the best  SaaS security company becomes important. Here, we've compiled a list of the SaaS security companies, bringing something unique to the table. Let’s get started.

The Significance Of SaaS Security In Today’s Business Environment

SaaS applications are at the heart of modern business, driving efficiency, scalability, and innovation. However, the widespread adoption of these cloud-based services comes with increased security vulnerabilities. The importance of SaaS security cannot be overstated; it serves as a bulwark against the myriad of cyber threats that contemporary businesses encounter.

From data breaches and ransomware attacks to phishing schemes and insider threats, the scope of potential security incidents in the cloud is extensive. Effective SaaS security strategies are essential to ensure that sensitive data remains protected, compliance with regulations is achieved, and customer trust is preserved.

What Are The SaaS Security Challenges?

Software as a Service (SaaS) platforms encounter unique security challenges. These challenges arise due to the very nature of cloud computing, its accessibility, complexity, and shared responsibility model. The following are some of them:

• Data security and privacy: Protecting sensitive information from unauthorized access and ensuring customer data privacy, financial records, and proprietary business details.
• Identity and access management (IAM): Managing access controls in a distributed work environment ensures that only authorized users can access sensitive data.
• Regulatory compliance: Ensuring global data protection regulations like GDPR and CCPA and integrating compliance controls within SaaS applications.
• Threat detection and response: Performing continuous monitoring of SaaS applications for suspicious activities and responding swiftly to prevent breaches.
• Data residency and sovereignty: Addressing challenges related to data being stored in different jurisdictions, subject to various countries’ laws and ensuring compliance with data sovereignty laws.
• Ensuring service continuity: Maintaining business operations by ensuring continuity of SaaS services, including having backup and recovery strategies to mitigate downtime or disruptions.

Key considerations for choosing a SaaS security provider

Here are the key considerations to consider when choosing a SaaS security provider.

• Comprehensive security features: Look for providers offering a broad range of security features, including data encryption, IAM, threat detection and response, and compliance management capabilities.
• Regulatory compliance: Ensure the SaaS security vendors have built-in compliance controls for regulations relevant to your industry, such as GDPR, CCPA, HIPAA, etc.
• Reputation and reliability: Research the provider’s track record, customer testimonials, and industry certifications to assess their reliability and effectiveness.
• Integration capabilities: The provider should offer seamless integration with your existing business applications and infrastructure to minimize disruptions to your operations.
• Scalability: Choose a provider that can scale with your business to accommodate growth and the evolving complexity of your SaaS security needs.
• User access management: Look for robust IAM features that enable precise control over user access and support secure authentication methods.
• Transparency and reporting: Choose a provider that offers transparent reporting and analytics on security incidents, compliance status, and overall security posture.
• Cost-effectiveness: Consider the provider’s pricing model to ensure it offers value for money.

Top 10 SaaS security companies and platforms

Here is a curated list of the top SaaS security vendors, each bringing its unique strengths.

1. Strac

Strac is a Data Discovery, DSPM (Data Security Posture Management) and DLP platform focused on SaaS, Cloud, Gen AI and Endpoints. It is adept at securing sensitive PII across various applications, including Slack, Zendesk, Salesforce, Google Workspace, and Microsoft 365. What sets Strac apart is its ability to scan, classify, and remediate sensitive data such as PHI, PCI, and intellectual property. This ensures compliance with stringent regulatory and compliance standards like PCI, HIPAA, SOC 2, ISO 27001, and GDPR.

The underlying technology accurately detects sensitive data across unstructured text and various document formats. It ensures businesses can share sensitive data securely without exposure. Moreover, Strac supports all kinds of sensitive data elements, making it a versatile choice for protecting financial data. The platform's detect and redact API allows the redaction of sensitive data in text, documents, and even Large Language Model (LLM) prompts in real time.

Key Features

• Built-In & Custom Detectors: Strac supports all sensitive data elements detectors for PCI, HIPAA, GDPR, and any confidential data. Strac also supports customization where customers can configure their own data elements. Strac is the ONLY DLP on market that does detection and redaction of images (jpeg, png, screenshot) and also deep content inspection on document formats like pdf, word docs (doc, docx, xlsx (spreadsheets), zip files. Check out Strac’s full catalog of sensitive data elements here: https://www.strac.io/blog/strac-catalog-of-sensitive-data-elements
• Compliance: Strac DLP helps you achieve compliance for PCI, SOC 2, HIPAA, ISO-27001, CCPA, GDPR, and NIST frameworks. PCI Link https://www.strac.io/compliances/pci-dss, SOC 2 Link https://www.strac.io/compliances/soc2, HIPAA Link https://www.strac.io/compliances/hipaa-compliance, ISO 27001 Link https://www.strac.io/compliances/iso-27001, CCPA Link https://www.strac.io/compliances/ccpa, NIST Link https://www.strac.io/blog/nist-data-loss-prevention
• Remediation actions: Bulk remediate publicly shared links, redaction, masking, labeling, deletion, encryption
• Ease of integration: In under 10 minutes, customers integrate with Strac and instantly see DLP/live scanning/live redaction on their SaaS apps.
• Accurate Detection and Redaction: Strac's custom machine learning models trained on sensitive PII, PHI, PCI, and confidential data provide high accuracy and low false positives and false negatives.
• Rich and Extensive SaaS Integrations: Strac has the widest and deepest number of SaaS and Cloud integrations. Checkout all integrations here: https://strac.io/integrations
• AI Integration: In addition to all SaaS, Cloud and Endpoint integration, Strac integrates with LLM Apis and AI Websites like ChatGPT, Google Bard, Microsoft Copilot and more. Check out how they are used to protect their AI or LLM apps and also to safeguard their sensitive data
• Strac Developer Documentation: API Support: Strac offers developers APIs to detect or redact sensitive data. Checkout Strac API Docs: https://docs.strac.io‍
• Inline Redaction: Strac can redact (mask or blur) sensitive text within any attachment.
• Customizable Configurations: Strac provides out-of-the-box Compliance templates with all sensitive data elements to detect/redact, plus flexible configurations to cater to specific business needs, ensuring that data protection measures align with individual requirements.
• Happy Customers: Checkout our G2 Reviews: https://www.g2.com/products/strac/reviews

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2. Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps

Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps represents a major advancement in SaaS security. It provides a suite of features designed to secure cloud applications against cyber threats. Its standout capability lies in advanced threat protection, using app signals and analytics to pinpoint and neutralize unusual activities and potential vulnerabilities in real time.

It monitors data interactions and controls the flow of sensitive information within cloud applications to prevent unauthorized access.  This ensures adherence to standards such as GDPR and HIPAA.

Key Features

• MS Defender identifies and assesses the use of cloud applications to ensure visibility and control over cloud access
• It implements advanced DLP policies and ensures compliance with major regulatory standards
• Microsoft’s extensive threat intelligence detects and mitigates threats across cloud environments
• Enforces access policies and controls activities within cloud applications based on real-time analysis of user actions.
• Works seamlessly with other Microsoft security products for a holistic approach to organizational security.

3. Zscaler Internet Access

Zscaler Internet Access is a leading SaaS security platform, offering a cloud-native security service. It stands for the transformation from traditional firewall-centric architectures to a modern, zero-trust framework. What sets Zscaler apart is its proxy architecture built on the principle of least privilege. It enables comprehensive TLS/SSL inspection at scale and securing connections based on identity, context, and business policies. 

It is integrated seamlessly into the Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange to replace legacy network security solutions. This comprehensive zero-trust approach and Zscaler's integration with SaaS, endpoints, and cloud apps distinguish it from its competitors.

Key Features

• Zscaler is built for cloud scale and speed to employ full TLS/SSL inspection
• The platform ensures fast and secure connections by applying consistent policies and security controls close to every user
• Its proxy architecture brokers connections based on identity, context, and business policies, aligns with a zero-trust strategy
• It offers in-depth protection against advanced cyber threats by analyzing data from the world’s largest security cloud.

4. Forcepoint ONE

Forcepoint ONE stands at the forefront among the SaaS security vendors for its cloud-native services. It is designed to protect data everywhere and secure access anywhere. This data-first Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) solution is engineered to simplify security for the hybrid workforce. It empowers productivity while ensuring continuous control over data. 

Forcepoint Alternative: Forcepoint Vs Strac

Its unique selling proposition lies in its ability to modernize access for the hybrid world. It adopts Zero Trust principles with ease and secure data everywhere it goes. Its capabilities are not just about securing the present but are built with the flexibility to adapt to the future.

Key Features

• Forcepoint ONE integrates critical security functions such as CASB, ZTNA, and SWG into a single platform
• The platform is designed for straightforward setup and use, with both agent-based and agentless deployment options
• It adapts Zero Trust principles with ease to offer identity-based access control on any device
• It creates a data security policy once and applies it universally with just a few clicks.

5. Cipher

Cipher distinguishes itself in the SaaS security domain through its comprehensive cloud security solution. It addresses the challenges faced by modern enterprises. Cipher is dedicated to enhancing the safety of businesses in the digital environment through its global presence.

Its dynamic xMDR platform provides a customizable and agile defense mechanism to counter evolving threats. This platform is integral to Cipher's mission of improving visibility and security posture for businesses. It ensures comprehensive protection across various digital platforms, including cloud services and IoT.

Key Features

• Cipher operates 24/7/365 to offer a 'glocal' approach to security operations
• The platform provides solutions, including cloud and IoT security, digital risk assessment and management
• It is designed to increase visibility and responsiveness to evolving threats
• It safeguards over 400k corporate users and monitors more than 250k endpoints.

6. Netskope Security Cloud

Netskope Security Cloud is a leading security company in the SASE (Secure Access Service Edge) and Zero Trust landscape. It offers a cloud-native platform that merges security and networking services. Netskope Security Cloud commits to protecting people and data regardless of their location or devices. 

Netskope Alternative: Netskope Vs Strac

Utilizing its patented Zero Trust Engine, Intelligent SSE components, and the NewEdge network, Netskope One streamlines business operations defense. It focuses on secure and accelerated web and cloud access to simplify data protection and modernize enterprise networking.

Key Features

• Netskope One simplifies security and networking across organizations by merging services to reduce cost and complexity
• The platform ensures fast, reliable, and secure access to web and cloud apps from any device or location
• Its patented Zero Trust Engine and Intelligent Security Service Edge components deliver converged security and networking services.

7. Cisco Umbrella

Cisco Umbrella is a recognized leader in cloud cybersecurity and provides comprehensive SASE (Secure Access Service Edge) solutions. It protects users on and off the network. Cisco Umbrella simplifies, streamlines, and scales cybersecurity efforts by combining multiple security functions into one solution. This integration allows businesses to extend protection to devices, remote users, and distributed locations.

Its DNS-layer security is a powerful approach to blocking malicious domains, IP addresses, and cloud applications before establishing a connection. Furthermore, it embraces the evolution of cybersecurity with its SSE architecture, which uses SaaS security tools like secure web gateway, DLP, CASB, and DNS security.

Key Features

• Cisco Umbrella utilizes DNS-layer security to block malicious domains, IP addresses, and cloud applications
• Its SSE architecture consolidates critical security functions like SWG, DLP, and CASB into a cloud-delivered solution
• The platform’s agile global cloud architecture ensures optimal network performance and reliability
• With an open, integrated architecture, Cisco supports native integration along with over 400 third-party integrations
• It provides actionable insights on known and emerging threats to enhance its capacity to block threats.

8. Intruder

Intruder is a sophisticated yet straightforward SaaS security platform for vulnerability management. It simplifies the task of continuous vulnerability assessment by providing automated scans across cloud infrastructure, web applications, and APIs. The platform intelligently prioritizes issues based on their severity and context.

It tracks your exposed assets, scanning for vulnerabilities as soon as they're detected. It also aids compliance efforts by generating clear, actionable reports demonstrating adherence to various cybersecurity standards. This helps businesses prove their security posture to auditors, stakeholders, and customers.

Key Features

• Intruder provides comprehensive scanning across infrastructure, web applications, and APIs
• The platform automatically initiates scans when changes are detected or an emerging threat is identified
• It emphasizes ease of use, from setup to everyday operations to address issues promptly
• Intruder offers automated cloud security and web application/API scanning
• It bridges the gap between automated scanning and point-in-time penetration tests.

9. Proofpoint Cloud App Security Broker (PCASB)

PCASB offers an advanced, integrated solution to secure cloud users, applications, and data from threats, loss, and compliance risks. Its expertise in cloud security helps protect sensitive data and provide immediate context for cloud security incidents. 

The platform offers advanced DLP, protection against cloud account takeovers, management of shadow IT, and reduction of attack surfaces. It excels in protecting against account takeovers by correlating threat intelligence across various vectors. It also enhances incident response with insights into threats, users, and behaviors across email and cloud services.

Key Features

• Proofpoint CASB integrates with Proofpoint's Enterprise DLP solution to enhance incident response with user and threat context
• The platform offers robust defense against account takeovers in key services such as Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, and Okta
• It addresses the challenges of shadow IT by providing visibility into and automating the abused OAuth applications
• Proofpoint delivers fast deployment and immediate benefits to streamline the path to enhanced cloud security
• It offers timeline-based views that correlate data loss and cloud threats.

10. Fidelis

Fidelis Security positions itself as a leading provider of proactive cyber defense solutions. It provides a multi-layered defense strategy, encompassing everything from network security to data loss prevention and threat detection. It detects post-breach activities significantly faster than its competitors. This rapid response capability is critical for minimizing the impact of security incidents.

The platform enhances its defensive capabilities with advanced deception technology to create decoys and traps within the network. It also offers highly flexible and automated policy management to enable organizations to adapt their security posture.

Key Features

• Fidelis Network provides full visibility across all ports and protocols on the network through deep packet inspection and network traffic analysis
• It uses machine learning and analytics to detect network traffic anomalies and potential threats
• It provides risk-aware terrain mapping to understand assets and communication paths
• Fidelis Endpoint provides comprehensive EDR capabilities like process monitoring, forensic data collection, vulnerability assessment
• It offers data decryption, network DLP, and integrated sandbox analysis capabilities.

Conclusion

As we conclude our exploration of the best SaaS security companies, it's clear that the digital age demands innovative solutions. Choosing the right SaaS security provider is crucial for businesses aiming to protect their data and ensure regulatory compliance. Whether through advanced threat protection, seamless integrations, or user-centric security measures, each platform offers something valuable.

By partnering with Strac, you can empower your organization to succeed in the modern age. Feel confident knowing that your data, applications, and networks are protected by the most sophisticated security solutions available today. 

Book a demo today to find out more about Strac's offerings.