Top 3 Salesforce Security Risks to Check in 2024: Part 1 - Installed Packages
A Blog Series from Hubbl Diagnostics and Tenger Ways
Security isn’t merely a requirement; it's a strategic imperative. For businesses relying on Salesforce, protecting sensitive data is non-negotiable and stands as the cornerstone of stability and trust. Unfortunately, according to recent data, it’s highly likely that your Salesforce org is at risk.
“Today, the phrase ‘data is the new currency’ has never rung truer. For IT leaders, safeguarding this currency demands constant monitoring and innovation.” — Mike Bogan, Co-Founder Hubbl Diagnostics
In today’s business world, a failure to comprehend the security implications of customizations in your Salesforce org could result in disaster. These customizations impact data protection, compliance with regulations, risk mitigation, business continuity, cybersecurity defense, reputation, resource efficiency, scalability, and future-proofing. Understanding these implications is essential for safeguarding sensitive data, meeting regulatory requirements, and securing your organization's reputation and future success.
In part one of this series with Salesforce org intelligence platform, Hubbl Diagnostics, we explore the serious impact of out-of-date installed packages.
Updating installed packages
We all have, and update, apps on our mobile phones. If you run your business on Salesforce, you likely have installed apps (packages) to help run your business.
Installed packages can pose significant risks if not managed diligently. Recent findings indicate that 99% of Salesforce organizations have installed packages with newer versions available, highlighting the widespread prevalence of this issue. This makes sense because, before Hubbl Diagnostics, there was no way to automatically know whether your packages are out of date.
Out-of-date installed packages can have significant consequences for your org, affecting both security and performance:
● Operational inefficiencies: Out-of-date packages often contain legacy automation that hampers productivity and operational efficiency, affecting day-to-day business processes.
● Data security concerns: 15% of all custom code security issues come from installed packages and can lead to data breaches, compromising sensitive information and eroding customer trust.
● Lack of security review: Privately listed applications, in particular, may not have undergone the rigorous AppExchange Security Review process. This lack of review further heightens the security risks associated with these packages.
As a practice, identify out-of-date installed packages at least once per quarter: Hubbl Diagnostics is a free solution that creates an aggregate view of orgs across the Salesforce ecosystem. This unique perspective allows you to check installed packages against a comprehensive database of package versions, ensuring you have access to the latest features, reducing security risks, and removing legacy declarative automation.
The Tenger Fitnes for Salesforce program considers the following when evaluating managed packages and prioritizing updates:
1. Security: Managed package updates often include security enhancements and fixes for vulnerabilities. By staying up to date, you ensure that your Salesforce instance is protected against potential security threats and data breaches.
2. Bug Fixes: Updates address known bugs and issues, improving the stability and reliability of the managed package. This helps prevent system crashes or unexpected errors that can disrupt your business operations.
3. Compatibility: As Salesforce evolves, older versions of managed packages may become incompatible with new Salesforce features or updates. Keeping packages current ensures that they work seamlessly with the latest platform changes.
4. Optimized Performance: Updated managed packages often come with performance improvements, optimizing the speed and efficiency of your Salesforce processes. This can lead to a more productive user experience.
5. Access to New Features: Salesforce ISVs (Independent Software Vendors) frequently add new features and functionality to their managed packages. By updating, you gain access to these enhancements, which can boost productivity and efficiency.
6. Compliance: Managed packages may include features designed to help organizations comply with specific regulations or standards (e.g., GDPR, HIPAA). Staying updated ensures you are aligned with current compliance requirements.
7. Support and Maintenance: Vendors are more likely to provide support and assistance for the latest package versions. If you encounter issues or require assistance, having an up-to-date package improves your chances of receiving help.
8. Long-Term Viability: Neglecting package updates can result in dependencies on outdated technology. Over time, this can lead to technical debt, making future updates and migrations more complex and costly.
9. Avoiding Customization Workarounds: If a package is not updated, users might resort to creating custom workarounds to address issues or lack of functionality. This can lead to a messy and inefficient system that's difficult to maintain.
10. Reputation and Customer Trust: If you're using managed packages to enhance your Salesforce capabilities, ensuring they're up to date reflects positively on your organization. It demonstrates a commitment to quality, security, and innovation, which can enhance your reputation and customer trust.
Keeping managed packages updated in Salesforce is essential to maintain security, functionality, and performance while staying compliant with changing regulations. It also ensures that your Salesforce instance remains efficient, adaptable, and aligned with the latest features and capabilities.
Leveraging metadata decision-making to drive security and growth
When you make changes to your Salesforce platform, it becomes your responsibility to fully grasp the implications of these modifications. In other words, you need to understand how your changes will affect the entire system. This is important because any alterations you make can have far-reaching consequences. In Salesforce, you must consider how your changes impact data security, user access, and overall functionality. By taking this responsibility seriously, you ensure that your Salesforce system remains secure, efficient, and aligned with your organization's needs.
Tenger Fitness for Salesforce can help. Through this two-week program, we help you truly understand if you have a strong Salesforce foundation. More than a health check, Tenger Fitness is an in-depth analysis of your Salesforce platform, helping you identify security flaws, obstacles to adoption and efficiency, development effectiveness, and other risks, issues, and opportunities for optimization.
Stay tuned for part two of our blog series: Top 3 Salesforce Security Risks: Reviewing Custom Code.
Want to learn more?
Tenger Fitness for Salesforce helps you know if you’re Salesforce platform is ready for what you want to do next. It’s a fast-paced program (typically two weeks) with meaningful, org-specific results. We’d love to explore how it can benefit you!