How to Find and Secure Risky SaaS Connections

This guide helps you identify and fix risky connections between your company’s SaaS apps—things like unused integrations, over-permissioned API tokens, and shadow IT. You’ll learn a practical workflow to audit your stack, spot the danger signs, and lock down access before it becomes a breach. No special tools are required, just admin access to your main apps and a spreadsheet.

What You’ll Need

• Admin access to your primary SaaS apps (e.g., Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Slack, Salesforce, or whatever your team uses)
• A list of all SaaS apps your company uses (check billing, SSO logs, or ask department heads)
• A spreadsheet or document to track findings
• An established process for approving new app connections (if you don’t have one, you’ll create a basic version in this guide)

Step-by-Step

1. Inventory your SaaS apps. Start by listing every cloud service your team uses. Check your single sign-on (SSO) provider’s app dashboard, look at credit card statements for recurring subscriptions, and ask managers what tools their teams rely on. Include everything—even free trials and “one-off� tools.
2. Map connections between apps. For each app, look for an “Integrations,� “Connections,� or “Apps� section in settings. Common places: Slack’s App Directory, Google Workspace’s “Connected apps,� Microsoft 365’s “Enterprise applications,� and Zapier or Make accounts. Note what data flows between apps and who set up the connection.
3. Identify risky connections. Flag any connection that:
   • Uses a shared or generic account (e.g., admin@company.com)
   • Has been inactive for more than 90 days (check last activity logs)
   • Requests permissions beyond what the app needs (e.g., a scheduling tool asking for full email access)
   • Was set up by an employee who has left the company
   • Is unknown to your IT or security team
4. Prioritize by risk. Rank flagged connections by two factors: the sensitivity of data involved (customer data, financial records, HR files = high) and the likelihood of compromise (public-facing apps, weak authentication = high). Focus on the highest-risk items first.
5. Revoke or restrict access. For each risky connection, take one of these actions:
   • Remove the connection entirely if it’s unused or unknown
   • Re-authenticate with a named user’s account instead of a shared one
   • Reduce permissions to the minimum needed (e.g., change from “read/writeâ€� to “read-onlyâ€�)
   • Set an expiration date on API tokens if the app supports it
6. Enforce multi-factor authentication (MFA). Ensure that any app with access to sensitive data requires MFA. If your SSO provider supports conditional access, require MFA for all third-party app connections.
7. Create a review cadence. Schedule a quarterly review of all SaaS connections. Use your spreadsheet to track the owner, purpose, and last review date for each integration. Set reminders in your calendar.
8. Establish an approval process. Define a simple workflow for new app requests: an employee submits a request with the app name, purpose, and data needed; IT or security approves or denies based on risk; then the connection is set up under a named account with minimal permissions.

Common Mistakes

• Only checking the “bigâ€� apps. Risky connections often hide in smaller tools like a free project management app or a browser extension that syncs to Google Drive.
• Ignoring service accounts. API keys and service accounts are often forgotten because no human “ownsâ€� them. Make sure every service account has an owner and an expiration date.
• Revoking without communication. If you cut off an integration that a team relies on, you’ll cause disruption. Always notify the app owner before revoking and offer a replacement if needed.
• Forgetting to check for “shadow IT.â€� Employees may connect apps without IT’s knowledge. Use your SSO logs to see which apps are being accessed with corporate credentials.
• Not documenting decisions. If you don’t record why a connection was approved or revoked, you’ll be back to square one next quarter.

Tips

• Use your SSO provider’s “App Accessâ€� or “Connected Appsâ€� page as a single source of truth—it often shows all apps that have been granted OAuth access.
• Look for “read-onlyâ€� options when re-authenticating integrations. Many apps support granular permissions; use them.
• Set up alerts for new OAuth authorizations. Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 can notify admins when a new app is granted access.
• For critical apps, consider using a dedicated integration user (not a human’s account) with a strong password and MFA.
• Keep a “kill listâ€� of apps that are banned or deprecated. This helps when employees ask to reinstall something you’ve already reviewed.

Troubleshooting

• You can’t find the integrations page. Check the app’s help documentation or search for “API,â€� “Developer,â€� or “Connectionsâ€� in settings. If you still can’t find it, contact the vendor’s support.
• Revoking a connection breaks a workflow. Immediately check if the app has an alternative integration method (e.g., webhook instead of full API). If not, work with the team to find a replacement or re-authenticate with a named user.
• You see a connection but don’t know who created it. Look at the OAuth audit logs in your SSO provider. If that doesn’t help, check the app’s own activity logs for the creation date and IP address.
• An app keeps requesting more permissions. Some apps ask for more scope on every update. Review their permission requests regularly and deny any that seem excessive. If the app fails to work, contact the vendor to ask why they need that level of access.
• Your list is too large to review manually. Prioritize by risk, not by alphabetical order. Use your spreadsheet to filter for connections with no owner, no activity, or admin-level permissions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What exactly is a “SaaS connection�?

It’s any integration between two cloud apps that allows them to share data or trigger actions. Examples include Slack connecting to Google Drive, or Salesforce syncing with your email marketing tool.

How do I know if a connection is risky?

Risky connections typically have one or more of these signs: they use a shared account, have excessive permissions, were set up by a former employee, have been inactive for months, or are not documented anywhere.

Do I need a dedicated security tool to do this?

No. You can start with built-in admin features in your SSO provider and each app’s settings. A spreadsheet is enough to track findings. Dedicated SaaS security tools (SSPM) are helpful at scale, but not required for a first audit.

What should I do if I find a connection that was set up by a former employee?

Revoke it immediately if you’re not sure it’s still needed. If the team says they need it, re-create it under a current employee’s account with minimal permissions.

How often should I review SaaS connections?

At least quarterly. If your company handles sensitive data or has high turnover, consider monthly reviews for critical apps.

Can I prevent employees from connecting apps on their own?

You can’t fully prevent it, but you can make it harder by using SSO with allowlists, disabling “personal app� access in your SSO provider, and educating employees about the approval process.

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