Proper implementation of code-scanning tools streamlines error identification and rectification, ensuring your DevOps team is able to quickly produce reliable updates.
Why It Matters: Code-scanning tools are a critical aspect of protecting the quality and security of your Salesforce data. Giving adequate attention to specific practices helps Salesforce DevOps teams see the greatest possible benefits from these powerful tools.
- Cybercrime cost businesses $12.5 billion in 2023.
- Insider threats—often caused by over-permissioned users and simple configuration errors—are among the most common and overlooked data security risks.
Here are seven tips for simplifying Salesforce data security and protecting sensitive information:
1. Implement the Principle of Least Privilege
Locking down permissions is an incredibly effective way to simplify Salesforce data security. The chances of a costly mistake drastically increase with each team member who is able to access sensitive data.
Team members should only be granted the minimum access they need to do their job.
The principle of least privilege reduces the risk of accidental or malicious data exposure and needs to be a central aspect of your Salesforce data security strategy.
2. Scan Profiles and Permission Sets
Unless your organization is brand new, there are going to be legacy settings across your org that will need to be updated.
Use an automated security posture management tool to scan your settings and ensure they reflect your current needs.
Profiles and permission sets need to be contemporary to ensure adherence to the principle of least privilege and data security best practices.
3. Regularly Audit Field-Level Security
Just because a user can access an object doesn’t mean they should see every field. Sensitive data like salaries, social security numbers, or personal health details should be tightly controlled.
Regularly auditing field-level security (FLS) ensures only authorized users can view or edit sensitive fields.
Reviewing FLS during each release cycles or as part of periodic access audits should be a best practice that is followed for every DevOps pipeline.
4. Support Visibility with Role Hierarchy
Control is critical to securing Salesforce data. If you can’t control who sees what, you’re flying blind.
A well-defined role hierarchy ensures users only see the records they’re authorized to, based on their position, without relying on complex sharing rules.
This built-in visibility model promotes secure collaboration and reduces the chance of accidental data exposure. Review and adjust the hierarchy as teams grow or shift roles to keep access aligned with business needs.
5. Automate Code Reviews
High-quality, secure code is critical to ensure updates and applications don’t introduce security vulnerabilities into your Salesforce environment. Manual reviews, however, are slow and prone to errors.
Automating code reviews with a static code analysis tool is crucial to both securing and streamlining your DevOps lifecycle.
Salesforce data security requires a comprehensive approach, which can be made much simpler by automating critical tasks.
6. Regularly Review Public and Guest User Access
Public and guest user profiles are often overlooked, but they can pose serious security risks if misconfigured. We saw an example of this in 2023.
Regularly audit what the public or guest users can view, create, or edit—especially on community sites.
These users typically access sites or portals without logging in, so any exposed data is vulnerable. Tightening this access helps prevent unintended data exposure and protects your org from common external threats.
7. Communicate Best Practices to the Entire Team
Data security is most effective when your entire organization is aligned in their efforts. It only takes a single mistake to compromise sensitive information.
Provide regular security training and keep lines of communication open across your team, so everyone stays on the same page.
Organizations in regulated industries handle their customers’ most sensitive information. A strong data security plan to protect this information doesn’t need to be difficult, but it does need to be intentional.
Next Step…
Artificial intelligence is popping up everywhere these days—and Salesforce is no exception. Agentforce is making headlines, but how safe is it, really?
Check out our infographic with 7 Tips for Using Agentforce Safely to learn more about how you can utilize the power of AI without opening yourself up to data security vulnerabilities.