AppOmni Releases Zero Trust Posture Management, Enhancing SaaS Security by Extending Zero Trust to the Application Layer

May 6, 2024

 

AppOmni, the pioneer of SaaS security posture management (SSPM), today formally announced AppOmni Zero Trust Posture Management (ZTPM), a unique solution set that dramatically strengthens security in modern infrastructures by bridging a critical gap in network-centric Zero Trust (ZT) architectures. Specifically, the framework provides an unprecedented level of visibility and monitoring into the configuration, security posture, and user behaviors within Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) applications. It also enables granular access and configuration management by ensuring mandatory single sign-on (SSO), multi-factor authentication (MFA), and least privilege configurations are enforced across the entire SaaS landscape from a single pane of glass. Through these and continuous authorization capabilities, AppOmni extends Zero Trust architectures to SaaS applications and data with ZTPM through the company’s signature SSPM platform. AppOmni goes further than ever in delivering on the potential of Zero Trust in sprawling SaaS deployments. 
The purpose of Zero Trust is very clear: To never implicitly trust the identity of any user within or outside the network perimeter, but rather continuously verify all identities and requests in order to safeguard data and services. In the context of SaaS applications, traditional network-centric Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) implementations via Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) solutions don’t address application level vulnerabilities such as misconfigurations, unchecked user privileges, cloud-to-cloud connections or exposed data. Also, these network-centric solutions can’t detect direct SaaS app access by, for example, guest users who have been provisioned direct access outside the purview of the SASE solution.

 

“Despite the moniker, the security offered by traditional Zero Trust architectures built around access to cloud applications is far from absolute—for example, it often overlooks critical gaps at the application level. We also frequently see SaaS applications configured to allow users to bypass the SASE/ZTNA stack, which undermines security of SaaS deployments,” said Brian Soby, CTO and co-founder at AppOmni. “Our ZTPM capabilities complement SASE implementations to ensure that these principles are consistently applied not only at the network level but also through the very applications that handle critical business data and workflows. We believe this presents a major leap forward in strengthening key SaaS defenses.”  

The benefits of AppOmni ZTPM include: 

 

  • End-to-End Security: The solution extends Zero Trust through applications by providing visibility into the configuration, security posture, and user behaviors within applications, which are pivotal components of the security and data path in a ZT framework. This capability addresses the gap in ZT's goal of achieving end-to-end security by ensuring that the network, the applications and data accessed through SaaS products are secured under ZT principles.

     

  • Continuous Monitoring and Feedback Loop: By offering continuous monitoring capabilities of both users and applications, ZTPM enables a Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA) to maintain a feedback loop that informs security policy adjustments and actions. This capability allows for real-time and context-aware responses to detected security events or anomalies, such as terminating suspicious sessions, requiring step-up authentication, or implementing other remedial actions.

     

  • Standardized Least Privilege Access: AppOmni ZTPM enhances the implementation of least privilege access within applications and SaaS systems, a core requirement of a ZTA. It achieves this by offering deep visibility into and control over enterprise SaaS resource configurations and data authorizations. This level and granularity make the application of least privilege more meaningful and effective than traditional options, such as group memberships. This further prevents unauthorized access to sensitive data.

     

  • Granular Access Decisions: The goal of ZT to make access decisions as granular as possible is significantly supported by ZTPM through its comprehensive visibility and configuration analysis capabilities within applications. ZTPM enables organizations to apply access controls and policies in great detail, thereby aligning with ZT principles of granting access based on explicit permissions and the precise requirements of the user's role and the context of the access request.

     

  • Dynamic Policy Enforcement: ZTPM contributes to dynamic policy enforcement by providing a ZTA with insights into a user's data access, behaviors and permissions within applications. This information allows these architectures to adapt access controls and security measures in real time, based on the ongoing assessment of risk and need for access. These capabilities help ensure that security policies remain effective and responsive to changing conditions.

     

  • Configuration Assurance: Ensuring that applications are configured to prevent bypasses of a ZTA that would allow direct access to applications or data exposures to external entities is crucial for the integrity of ZT strategies. AppOmni’s ZTPM plays a vital role in this regard by analyzing and ensuring that applications and their configurations do not allow users to bypass security controls such as SSO, MFA or IP restrictions, thus maintaining the effectiveness of the ZTA.

    ZTPM delivers a critical capability to every organization seeking to achieve a robust Zero Trust security posture. By extending Zero Trust principles to applications and SaaS environments, AppOmni provides the visibility and control needed to manage and mitigate cyber risks from both internal and external threats. As the digital landscape continues to evolve, integrating ZTPM into cybersecurity strategies offers a major advantage in protecting business-critical data and workflows that are increasingly located in SaaS deployments.