New framework sets baseline for SaaS security controls

September 25, 2025 – Published on Help Net Security

Managing security across dozens or even hundreds of SaaS apps has become a major headache. Each tool has its own settings, permissions, and logs, and most third-party risk processes only look at the vendor’s overall security, not the app itself. That leaves gaps you have to close on your own, often with limited visibility and extra work for both your team and procurement.

The Cloud Security Alliance (CSA) wants to change that with a new SaaS Security Capability Framework (SSCF). Released on September 24, this framework lays out a standard set of security controls that SaaS vendors should build into their products. It was created with input from the CSA’s SaaS Working Group, GuidePoint Security and other experts to help everyone speak the same language when it comes to securing SaaS.

The SaaS market has grown so quickly that there has never been a standard for what application-level security features vendors should provide. The result is a patchwork of capabilities. One app might give you logging and detailed access controls, while another offers only the basics. Security teams end up juggling different tools and processes for each application, which slows them down and increases risk.

Enterprises feel this pain when they try to bring in a new vendor. Each onboarding process becomes a unique project, with custom questionnaires, long review cycles, and lots of back-and-forth. Startups face the reverse problem. They need to guess which security features enterprises expect, often building things piecemeal to pass procurement checks.

The SSCF aims to simplify this for both sides. It gives enterprises a consistent way to evaluate vendors and helps vendors understand what their customers will expect before they even start the sales process.

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