What Security Leaders Should Consider When Protecting Salesforce Data

In all likelihood, some of your organization’s most sensitive information is stored in Salesforce. These include customer information, sales pipeline information, financial information, and operational information. Thus, the more your organization uses Salesforce, the more risk is introduced. CISOs must understand that securing your Salesforce environment is not just about trusting Salesforce.

The Shared Responsibility Model

In Salesforce, they use a shared responsibility model in their environment. This means that they will take care of their environment, but your data is your responsibility. This is where most organizations fail. They assume that since Salesforce has excellent security measures in place, their data is automatically secured. However, they find out too late that this is not the case. Thus, the shared responsibility model is where your security strategy must begin. This is where their responsibility ends and your responsibility begins.

Encryption and Access Controls

Encryption is not something to take lightly. Salesforce recommends using their Shield Platform Encryption for data at rest. However, one must understand that this must be done with great thought and care. This is because this could affect search functionality if not done properly.

Access controls must also not be taken lightly. The hierarchies must be done with great thought and care. This is because access controls must always be done with the principle of least privilege. This is done by providing users with access to information they need and nothing more than that.

Multi-Factor Authentication

In addition, multifactor authentication must now be implemented for all Salesforce users. Yet, this is still left to the discretion of the security leaders to ensure that multifactor authentication is implemented for all user types, such as integration accounts and API users. The SSO configurations must be evaluated to ensure that they do not provide a bypass for the authentication process.

Real-Time Monitoring and Anomaly Detection

Static security controls, as mentioned earlier, are not enough. The activities performed by the user must be monitored in real-time, enabling the security leaders to identify any anomalies in user behavior. Event Monitoring, as offered by Salesforce, provides detailed information about user activities, API calls, and user logins. This information must be integrated into your SIEM tool, enabling your security team to have the information required to identify potential threats within your environment.

The automated alerts can assist your organization in responding to potential threats in a timely manner. By moving from a reactive security approach to a proactive security approach, your security leaders can ensure that your organization stays ahead of the threats.

Building a Proactive Security Foundation

Security leaders tend to underestimate the significance of having a backup and recovery tool in place. However, Salesforce provides native tools for your security leaders to meet their responsibility. In some cases, your security leaders might need to look for a tool that offers solutions spanning Salesforce backup options. This ensures that your organization can respond to accidental deletion, ransomware, or misconfigurations.

In conclusion, it is imperative for the security leaders to realize that securing the Salesforce environment is an ongoing process that cannot be implemented in a single step. By moving your organization from a reactive security approach to a proactive security approach, your security leaders can ensure that your organization can grow while the security team does not become a roadblock.