Grip vs. CASB: Modernizing SaaS Security

Cloud Access Security Brokers (CASBs) were initially developed to block employees from accessing dangerous cloud applications. Over time, they became foundational to broader network security solutions, focusing on preventing unauthorized access to SaaS applications and protecting sensitive data from being uploaded to unapproved platforms. CASBs operate as control points for enforcing centralized security policies, a model that worked well when IT centrally decided which applications were safe to use.

As CASBs progressed, they added features like Internet access gateways and reverse proxies to manage access to internal and external applications. These tools excelled at controlling network-based access, effectively blocking risky SaaS usage and illicit attempts to access company assets through the network. However, two major shifts—distributed IT and SaaS as an attack vector—have exposed limitations in the CASB model.

1. IT Has Become Distributed

Because of SaaS, IT no longer makes software decisions centrally. While your company may have a set of sanctioned apps all employees are expected to use, the reality is that employees have preferences, and they use the app that helps them do their job. Employees adopt new apps with capabilities that allow them to be more productive, bypassing IT and security policies. CASBs can only block access, and limiting access to new SaaS apps is an unsustainable policy that is filled with exceptions and nightmarish to manage. The rapid adoption of AI is a recent example of SaaS adoption that occurred organically without the official consent of IT.  

2. SaaS has Become an Attack Vector  

Bad actors are increasingly targeting SaaS applications as a primary entry point, achieved by compromising an employee’s credentials or leveraging stolen credentials obtained from other sources. Once inside, attackers can immediately exfiltrate data stored in the compromised accounts or move laterally to other SaaS applications. These are often sanctioned, managed apps containing sensitive data, but their vulnerability stems from insufficient governance caused by lapses in securing them. Traditional methods of controlling access to these apps fail because access does not occur through the corporate network. Additionally, CASBs must integrate individually with each SaaS app to protect it— a method that becomes unscalable as organizations continually adopt new applications.  

CASB Platform Limitations and Complexities

While CASBs provide important capabilities, they face several challenges that limit their effectiveness in modern SaaS environments:

Challenges with Shadow SaaS Discovery

CASBs were originally built to discover and block access to a relatively small number of unsanctioned SaaS applications used by a subset of employees. However, the explosion of shadow SaaS—applications adopted outside of IT oversight—made the CASB approach of monitoring network traffic increasingly difficult to operationalize. Grip’s analysis shows that 90% of the apps used in an organization are shadow SaaS, leaving CASBs blind to most of the SaaS attack surface.

Excessive Data Noise

CASBs flood security teams with data, generating a high volume of alerts. Practitioners are left sorting through endless logs to distinguish between legitimate SaaS apps and harmless website visits. This complexity slows response times and leaves real risks buried in the noise, making it harder to secure your SaaS environment effectively.

Complexity and Operational Overhead

Deploying a CASB often requires significant changes to network infrastructure, including integration with secure web gateways, proxies, and firewalls. This complexity can delay implementation and increase operational costs, making it challenging for organizations to scale CASB solutions effectively and achieve ROI quickly.

Inability to Address Identity Risks

CASBs focus on securing pathways rather than understanding user identities and their interactions with SaaS applications. Because of this design, critical identity-based vulnerabilities, such as weak authentication practices or unmanaged user accounts, are left unaddressed.

SaaS Application Coverage

CASBs rely on API integrations to assess SaaS application vulnerabilities, including usage patterns and authentication methods. However, the sheer number of SaaS apps in use within an organization makes it impractical for CASBs to integrate with them all. As a result, many applications remain unprotected, leaving significant vulnerabilities unaddressed.

The Value of Grip

Grip brings clarity and context to SaaS security, addressing operational challenges commonly associated with CASBs. Grip can govern SaaS by itself or integrate with a CASB to provide context to SaaS apps, user behavior, and the risks of both.

Here’s how Grip’s approach to SaaS security differs from CASBs:

Shadow SaaS Discovery: Grip uses a multi-pronged approach to discovery, including email, IdP, and browser extension, to uncover all SaaS applications in use, including those accessed outside of corporate networks and on unmanaged devices.

Identity Risk Context: Grip highlights user identities, authentication methods, and SaaS-to-SaaS connections plus provides context into the risks, ensuring a complete picture of SaaS usage and clarity if an app is truly risky.

Actionable Risk Management: Grip’s prescriptive approach empowers your team with clear, actionable recommendations, eliminating guesswork and enabling swift, effective risk mitigation.  

Faster Deployment and ROI: Grip’s agent-less design eliminates the need for proxies, gateways, or network reconfiguration, reducing operational complexity and accelerating time to value.

Comprehensive SaaS Lifecycle Management: Grip automates onboarding, access management, and offboarding across all SaaS applications, including shadow SaaS, ensuring seamless security management.

Grip extends the value of a CASB by providing a modern, identity-based approach to SaaS security, and a more holistic solution to securing SaaS as SaaS adoption continues to grow.

How Grip and CASB Compare

Amplifying your SaaS Security  

The SaaS landscape has evolved dramatically, and CASBs can no longer keep up with modern usage patterns. Integrating Grip with your CASB creates a comprehensive SaaS security strategy, closing gaps in visibility, identity risks, and lifecycle management. More specifically:

Uncover all SaaS in use: Gain visibility into shadow SaaS and abandoned accounts.

Enhance security: Pair CASB’s network-based controls with Grip’s identity-driven approach for stronger SaaS defenses.

Streamline SaaS management: Simplify deployment and improve SaaS lifecycle management across all applications.

Grip enables you to secure your SaaS ecosystem comprehensively, protecting both sanctioned and unsanctioned applications without the complexity of traditional network-based solutions.

Ready to redefine SaaS security?

Request a Demo today and discover how Grip can extend the value of your CASB platform.

Additional Resources

Pros and Cons of CASB for SaaS Security

Why a Leading Email Security Provider Chose Grip, Not CASB

2025 SaaS Security Risks Report

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