Whether you’re a beverage manufacturer or a local police department, SaaS security will be a major concern for your IT department whenever the conversation of implementing a new system comes up. Since they want to ensure that company standards for cybersecurity are met, they will naturally be hesitant about doing anything that disrupts the status quo of their already-vetted legacy systems.
However, there is a cost associated with sticking with these outdated systems.
Handling the Challenge of Security When Implementing a New Tool
Navigating SaaS security is part of the process when putting in a system that will transform your organization. While SaaS security is important, making a decision based on security alone hinders transformational change; especially when you’re aiming for the pipe dream that is “zero risk”. The functionality of the system—and ultimately the level of end-user productivity—should be your main consideration.
After all, you’re integrating a tool into your current process because you believe it will help you achieve “X”, cut costs on “Y”, or make “Z” easier on behalf of the entire organization.
Besides, your current systems may not even be as secure as you think. When relying on outdated technologies, it becomes nearly impossible to automatically protect your organization from any new threats.
Worrying about the security of newer, more advanced technologies while clinging to obsolete systems and processes that keep you vulnerable is counterintuitive. So, how can IT teams ensure their unique SaaS security concerns are met when implementing a new tool that can change the organization for the better?
The Cost of Sticking to Legacy Systems
While legacy systems may have been the backbone of your operations for years, their continued use comes with significant hidden costs—especially when it comes to security. Relying on outdated technology puts your organization at an increased risk of data breaches, cyberattacks, and non-compliance with evolving regulations.
As businesses shift towards modern solutions, the importance of SaaS security cannot be overstated. Legacy systems simply cannot provide the level of security that cloud-based SaaS solutions can offer. While legacy systems may have been secure at the time of their implementation, they lack the scalability and adaptability required to respond to emerging threats.
SaaS security solutions, on the other hand, continuously update their systems with the latest security protocols, encryption technologies, and compliance features. Sticking to outdated systems means missing out on these vital updates, leaving your organization vulnerable to evolving cyber threats. By not adopting newer, more secure platforms, you’re essentially locking yourself into a system that can no longer protect you from modern risks.
1. Vulnerability to Security Threats
Legacy systems are often ill-equipped to defend against modern threats. As technology advances, so do the techniques employed by hackers. Outdated software may lack the latest security patches, making it more vulnerable to malware, ransomware, and other cyberattacks. Furthermore, legacy systems often don’t support the more robust encryption protocols or advanced authentication measures found in modern SaaS solutions, leaving sensitive data exposed.
2. Lack of Vendor Support
As systems age, vendors often stop providing support, leaving organizations on their own to patch vulnerabilities and resolve issues. Without timely updates, your legacy systems become increasingly prone to exploitation. This lack of vendor support can lead to operational disruptions, data loss, or unauthorized access if a security issue isn’t addressed promptly.
3. Non-Compliance Risks
Regulations are becoming more stringent across industries, with standards like GDPR, HIPAA, and CCPA mandating stricter controls over data handling and security. Legacy systems often struggle to meet these new compliance requirements due to their lack of flexibility and outdated security protocols. Failure to comply can result in hefty fines, legal liabilities, and reputational damage.
4. Operational Inefficiencies
Legacy systems aren’t just a security risk—they also hinder productivity and operational efficiency. These systems often require manual intervention, creating bottlenecks that slow down decision-making and hinder agility. When critical data isn’t accessible in real time or systems are prone to errors, employees spend more time fixing problems than focusing on strategic tasks. This operational drag becomes especially costly in industries where speed and accuracy are critical.
5. Higher Long-Term Costs
Though sticking with legacy systems may seem like a cost-saving decision in the short term, it often leads to higher costs over time. Maintaining and troubleshooting outdated systems requires more resources and technical expertise. These systems may also require frequent repairs or custom integrations to work with modern tools, making them more expensive to maintain than newer, more secure, and more efficient cloud-based solutions.
By continuing to rely on legacy systems, organizations not only expose themselves to significant security risks but also miss out on the innovation and efficiency that modern technology can provide. Making the transition to more secure and scalable solutions isn’t just a matter of staying current—it’s a matter of protecting your organization’s future.
Embracing the Cloud For Increased SaaS Security
Let’s use automated scheduling as an example. You’ve found a great tool that handles the complex scheduling requirements your plant demands, alleviating pressure for your schedulers to make spur-of-the-moment changes that are compliant with the latest rules and regulations.
If the tool is cloud-based, IT can and should be open to implementation. According to Shawn McCarthy, Research Director for IDC Government Insights, the SaaS security in a next-generation IT system will inherently be better than your existing setup. On top of this, the beauty of cloud-based solutions is its easy integration and the fact that there is no need for an overhaul of your current systems.
You can keep all your standards in place—no need to start from scratch and rebuild your privacy infrastructure. In fact, SaaS security risks are minimal with cloud-based solutions, as these platforms are designed to offer the latest, most robust measures that protect against data breaches and cyberattacks.
That’s probably why 70% of businesses will have office system capabilities located in the cloud in the next two years, according to Gartner.
Upgrade Your Workforce Management Solution With Indeavor
Adopting a modern workforce management SaaS solution, like the one we offer, can mitigate many of the risks associated with legacy systems. Our end-to-end, cloud-based platform provides not only superior SaaS security but also the flexibility and efficiency needed to streamline operations.
By integrating seamlessly with your existing human capital management and enterprise resource planning systems, our solution ensures that your organization remains agile and secure, with real-time employee data at your fingertips. With up-to-date SaaS security features built into the platform, you can rest assured that your workforce management system is equipped to handle emerging threats, all while enhancing productivity across your organization.
Interested to see how we can help your organization tackle WFM realistically? Click here to request a demo.
