SaaS Cybersecurity

Your Platform Is Your Product.
Is It Secure Enough to Sell?

SaaS companies face a unique cybersecurity challenge: your application IS the attack surface. From SOC 2 readiness to penetration testing to secure SDLC, we protect platforms that handle sensitive customer data at scale.

Trusted by 2,500+ organizations since 2002. BBB A+ Accredited since 2003. Zero breaches among clients following our security program.

SOC 2 Type II Readiness Penetration Testing Secure SDLC Consulting 23+ Years Experience

Q: What cybersecurity do SaaS companies need? SaaS companies must secure their application code, cloud infrastructure, APIs, and customer data simultaneously. This typically requires SOC 2 Type II compliance, regular penetration testing, a secure software development lifecycle (SSDLC), identity and access management, encryption at rest and in transit, and continuous monitoring for threats targeting multi-tenant architectures. Schedule a consultation.

Why SaaS Platforms Are High-Value Targets

Your platform stores data for hundreds or thousands of customers. A single breach compromises them all. Attackers know this, and they are relentless.

Multi-Tenant Data Exposure

A vulnerability in your tenant isolation can expose every customer's data simultaneously. We test and harden your multi-tenant architecture to prevent cross-tenant data leaks.

API Exploitation

APIs are the backbone of every SaaS platform and the number one attack vector. Broken authentication, excessive data exposure, and injection flaws can be catastrophic if left unaddressed.

Supply Chain Attacks

SaaS products rely on dozens of third-party libraries and services. A compromised dependency, like the Log4j or XZ Utils incidents, can turn your software into an attack vector overnight.

Account Takeover

Credential stuffing, session hijacking, and phishing campaigns target SaaS user accounts relentlessly. Without robust identity controls, one compromised admin account can expose your entire platform.

SOC 2 Readiness: From Zero to Audit-Ready

Enterprise buyers will not sign your contract without SOC 2. We take SaaS companies from initial scoping through audit readiness in 90 to 120 days, building the policies, controls, and evidence your auditor needs to see.

1

Gap Analysis and Scoping

We assess your current security posture against SOC 2 Trust Services Criteria and identify exactly what needs to be built, documented, or remediated.

2

Policy and Control Implementation

We write your security policies, configure monitoring tools, implement access controls, and establish the evidence collection processes auditors require.

3

Penetration Testing

Our team performs comprehensive application and infrastructure penetration testing to validate your controls and satisfy auditor requirements.

4

Audit Preparation and Support

We prepare your evidence packages, conduct mock audits, and support your team throughout the formal SOC 2 Type I or Type II audit process.

SOC 2 Trust Services Criteria

Security

Protection against unauthorized access and system abuse

Availability

System uptime and performance as committed in SLAs

Processing Integrity

Complete, accurate, and authorized data processing

Confidentiality

Restricted access to confidential information

Privacy

Personal information collected, used, and retained properly

Cybersecurity Services Built for SaaS

We understand that SaaS companies ship fast and iterate constantly. Our security services integrate with your development workflow instead of blocking it.

Secure SDLC Consulting

We embed security into every phase of your software development lifecycle: threat modeling during design, SAST and DAST during CI/CD, and security code reviews before release. Shift left without slowing down.

  • Threat modeling workshops
  • CI/CD security pipeline integration
  • Dependency vulnerability scanning
  • Security champion training

Application Penetration Testing

Our ethical hackers test your SaaS application the way real attackers would: probing APIs, testing authentication flows, attempting privilege escalation, and searching for injection vulnerabilities across your entire attack surface.

  • OWASP Top 10 coverage
  • API-specific testing (REST, GraphQL)
  • Authentication and session testing
  • Executive and developer reports

Cloud Security Architecture

Whether you run on AWS, Azure, or GCP, we design and implement cloud security architectures that protect your infrastructure. From IAM policies to network segmentation, encryption configurations to logging and alerting.

  • AWS, Azure, GCP security hardening
  • Infrastructure-as-code security
  • Container and Kubernetes security
  • Cloud security posture management

Incident Response Planning

When a breach happens, response time determines the cost. We build custom incident response playbooks, conduct tabletop exercises, and provide 24/7 retainer-based incident response so your team knows exactly what to do.

  • Custom IR playbooks
  • Tabletop exercises
  • Breach notification guidance
  • Digital forensic investigation

Identity and Access Management

We implement zero-trust identity architectures including SSO integration, MFA enforcement, role-based access control, and privileged access management to ensure the right people have the right access, nothing more.

  • SSO and SAML/OIDC setup
  • MFA enforcement strategies
  • RBAC and least privilege
  • Session management hardening

Virtual CISO for SaaS

Not ready for a full-time CISO? Our virtual CISO service gives you senior security leadership on a fractional basis. Board-level reporting, risk management, vendor security reviews, and strategic security roadmap planning.

  • Board and investor reporting
  • Vendor security questionnaires
  • Security roadmap planning
  • Risk management framework

API Security: Your Platform's Front Door

APIs account for over 80% of all web traffic. For SaaS companies, they are both your product's interface and your biggest vulnerability. We secure them at every layer.

Common API Vulnerabilities We Find

Broken Object-Level Authorization (BOLA)

Attackers manipulate object IDs to access other tenants' data. The most common and dangerous API vulnerability.

Excessive Data Exposure

APIs returning more data than the frontend needs, leaking sensitive fields to anyone who reads the response payload.

Broken Authentication

Weak token handling, missing expiration, and flawed password reset flows that allow account takeover.

Mass Assignment

Accepting unvalidated fields in API requests, allowing attackers to modify roles, permissions, or account status.

How We Secure Your APIs

API Discovery and Inventory

We map every API endpoint, including shadow and deprecated APIs your team may have forgotten about.

Authentication and Authorization Hardening

OAuth 2.0 / OIDC implementation review, JWT validation, scope enforcement, and rate limiting configuration.

Input Validation and Schema Enforcement

Strict request/response schema validation to prevent injection, mass assignment, and data leakage attacks.

Continuous API Monitoring

Real-time anomaly detection for unusual request patterns, data exfiltration attempts, and abuse of business logic.

Why SaaS Companies Choose Petronella

We are not a generic MSP trying to bolt security onto your SaaS stack. We have secured software platforms for over two decades and understand the unique pressures of shipping product while staying secure.

23+

Years Securing Technology Companies

2,500+

Organizations Served Nationwide

0

Breaches Among Compliant Clients

39+

Security Controls in Our Stack

Craig Petronella, Founder

CMMC Registered Practitioner and Licensed Digital Forensics Examiner with 30+ years of cybersecurity experience. Craig has led incident response investigations for software companies, advised SaaS startups on SOC 2 compliance, and built security programs that scale with high-growth platforms.

Our team includes certified professionals holding CISSP, CEH, OSCP, and cloud security certifications across AWS, Azure, and GCP.

Frequently Asked Questions

Cybersecurity for SaaS FAQ

What is SOC 2 compliance and does my SaaS company need it?

SOC 2 is a compliance framework developed by the AICPA that evaluates a company’s controls over security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy. Most enterprise buyers require SaaS vendors to hold a SOC 2 Type II report before signing contracts. If you sell to mid-market or enterprise customers, SOC 2 is effectively mandatory. Learn more about our audit services.

How long does it take to get SOC 2 certified?

With dedicated effort, most SaaS companies can achieve SOC 2 Type I readiness in 90 to 120 days. A Type II audit requires an additional observation period of 3 to 12 months to demonstrate that controls are operating effectively over time. Petronella accelerates this process by implementing controls, policies, and evidence collection from day one.

What are the biggest cybersecurity threats to SaaS companies?

The top threats to SaaS platforms include API vulnerabilities (broken authentication, data exposure), multi-tenant data isolation failures, supply chain attacks through compromised dependencies, account takeover via credential stuffing, ransomware targeting cloud infrastructure, and insider threats from employees with excessive privileges. Explore our cybersecurity services.

What is a Secure Software Development Lifecycle (SSDLC)?

A Secure SDLC integrates security practices into every phase of software development: threat modeling during design, secure coding standards during implementation, SAST and DAST scanning during testing, and security reviews before deployment. This “shift left” approach catches vulnerabilities early when they are cheapest to fix.

How much does a SaaS penetration test cost?

SaaS penetration testing typically ranges from $5,000 to $30,000 depending on the scope, complexity of the application, number of API endpoints, and whether you need web application testing, infrastructure testing, or both. Petronella provides detailed scoping and transparent pricing before any engagement begins. Learn about our penetration testing services.

Does Petronella work with SaaS companies outside of Raleigh, NC?

Yes. While Petronella Technology Group is headquartered in Raleigh, NC, we serve SaaS companies nationwide. Our security assessments, penetration testing, SOC 2 readiness programs, and virtual CISO services are delivered remotely. We have secured SaaS platforms across the United States for over 23 years.

Ready to Secure Your SaaS Platform?

Whether you need SOC 2 readiness, penetration testing, or a comprehensive security program, we will build a plan tailored to your platform, your customers, and your growth goals. The first consultation is free.