Salesforce Data Theft Deep Dive: How to Audit Connected Apps and Prevent Token Compromise

The recent wave of data theft targeting major Salesforce customers often linked to sophisticated social engineering and the exploitation of connected apps is a critical moment for every business. This isn’t a platform vulnerability, it’s an identity and access control failure that needs an immediate, technical response.

Drawing on public reports and industry analysis, this post breaks down the specific technical vectors used by attackers and outlines how CyberRoot’s Managed Security Services provide the essential administrative and monitoring capabilities your organisation needs to secure its Salesforce Org.

The Current Threat Vector: Malicious Connected Apps

The core mechanism behind many of these high-profile breaches is the compromise of elevated user permissions, often a Salesforce Administrator, via social engineering (e.g., voice phishing).

Vector 1: Malicious Connected App Installation
- The Hack: Attackers trick an admin into installing a modified, attacker-controlled replica of a legitimate tool, like the Data Loader app.
- The Result: This malicious Connected App gains extensive access to your organisation’s data (SOQL Query access), allowing attackers to query and exfiltrate sensitive customer data at will.
Vector 2: Third-Party Token Compromise (e.g., Salesloft Drift)
- The Hack: Attackers exploit credentials or tokens associated with legitimate third-party applications integrated via the Salesforce AppExchange.
- The Result: The attacker uses the application’s already-granted permissions to extract sensitive data, demonstrating a critical failure in the principle of least privilege.

CyberRoot’s Defence Strategy: From Identity to API Control

CyberRoot’s Managed Security Services implement and enforce the critical safeguards necessary to protect your Salesforce environment. This specialised security management focuses on Access Control and Identity Protection.

Proactive Connected App Auditing and Management
Attackers rely on stealth. Our team removes this advantage by taking over continuous org monitoring:
- Unused App Removal: We perform regular, detailed audits of all Connected Apps and OAuth Usage to identify and block any unused, unknown, or suspicious applications, ensuring only trusted apps remain active.
- Principle of Least Privilege (PoLP): We enforce the Admin Approved Users setting for all remaining apps, controlling access via dedicated Permission Sets, and ensuring no business user holds the excessive access required to install unauthorised apps.
Hardening API Access and Session Control
Salesforce offers advanced tools to prevent unauthorised programmatic access, but they require expert management. We manage these hardening steps for you:
- Enforce High-Assurance Sessions: We configure Session Timeout and Force High Assurance Session policies on all sensitive Connected Apps, dramatically limiting the window of opportunity for an attacker using a stolen token.
- Implement API Access Control (Allow listing): Where feasible, we work with you to enable and manage API Access Control. This proactive feature blocks all users from accessing the API except via a pre-approved list of Connected Apps, stopping malicious apps instantly. We also migrate non-OAuth logins (like SOAP API) to more secure OAuth Flows.
Advanced Threat Detection and Incident Response
The speed of data exfiltration during these attacks means manual detection is insufficient.
- 24/7 Event Monitoring: We utilise sophisticated monitoring tools (including Salesforce’s own Event Monitoring data) to track SOQL query volumes, sudden changes in Permitted Users, and unusual login patterns, detecting the signs of an active theft campaign far faster than human administrators.
- Rapid Incident Response: If our monitoring systems detect an anomaly, our UK-based team immediately initiates session termination and account isolation protocols to contain the breach, minimising data loss and providing detailed forensic reports.

Don’t Wait for the Next Lawsuit

The sheer number of lawsuits following this data theft campaign highlights the legal and financial liability of insufficient security measures. Current public report data clearly shows a focus shift from whether attackers will target your third-party systems to when and how quickly you can respond.

The best defence is a managed defence. Partner with Cyber Root to ensure your critical platforms, like Salesforce, are secured by best-practice architecture and continuous monitoring.

Take Control of Your Salesforce Security: Request a Connected Apps Audit Today