Moving to a PaaS platform removes a lot of server work. It does not remove the need to ask hard questions about security. When a provider runs the platform underneath your app, you are trusting them with your code, your data and your customers’ trust. That trust should be earned with facts, not marketing words.
Quick answer: Before choosing a PaaS provider, check 12 things: encryption in transit and at rest, access control and multi-factor login, network isolation and firewalls, regular patching, backups and recovery, logging and audit trails, compliance documents, data location, incident communication, secrets handling, support for security questions, and what happens to your data if you leave. Ask for written answers, not sales claims.
If PaaS is still new to you, read our guide on what is PaaS first.
Who Is Responsible for What?
The first thing to understand is the shared responsibility model. In PaaS, security is split between you and the provider.
| Area | Usually the provider | Usually you |
| Physical data centre | Yes | No |
| Servers and operating system | Yes | No |
| Runtime and platform updates | Yes | No |
| Network and firewall basics | Yes | Configure your own rules |
| Your application code | No | Yes |
| User logins and permissions in your app | No | Yes |
| Your own passwords, keys and secrets | Shared | Yes |
| Your data and who can see it | Shared | Yes |
This is why a provider can be very secure and an app on it can still be hacked. If your code has a weak login or an exposed key, no platform can fully save you. A good checklist looks at both sides.
The 12-Point PaaS Security Checklist
1. Encryption in transit
Data should travel over secure connections between users and your app, and between your app and your database. Ask whether secure connections (HTTPS and encrypted database links) are supported and easy to turn on.
Red flag: Secure connections are an extra, hard to set up, or not available.
2. Encryption at rest
Stored data, including databases, backups and files, should be encrypted on disk. Ask which parts are covered and who holds the keys.
Red flag: The provider cannot clearly say what is encrypted.
3. Access control and multi-factor login
Your account is the front door to everything. Check for role based access, so a junior developer does not get full admin rights, and multi-factor authentication for logins.
Red flag: One shared login for the whole team.
4. Network isolation and firewalls
Your app and database should not be open to the whole internet unless they need to be. Ask about firewalls, private networking between your app and database, and how environments are separated from other customers.
Red flag: Databases that are public by default.
5. Patching and updates
Platform software, operating systems and runtimes need regular security fixes. Ask how fast critical patches are applied and how you are told about them. This is a big reason teams choose managed platforms. Our guide on PaaS architecture shows which layers the provider keeps updated.
Red flag: No clear patching process, or old runtime versions that stay available for years.
6. Backups and recovery
Security also means recovering from mistakes and attacks. Ask how often backups run, how long they are kept, where they are stored and how you restore them. Better still, test a restore during your trial.
Red flag: Backups exist but nobody has ever tested a restore.
7. Logging and audit trails
When something goes wrong, you need to know who did what and when. Check for access logs, deployment history and admin activity logs.
Red flag: No history of changes or logins.
8. Compliance and certifications
If your business handles payments, health data or personal data, you may need specific standards. Ask for the actual documents or reports, and check that they cover the services you plan to use. A badge on a website is not proof.
Red flag: Vague wording such as “built to meet standards” with no documents.
9. Data location
Where your data is stored can matter for law, speed and customer trust. Ask which country and data centre hold your data, and whether it can move without your knowledge.
Red flag: The provider cannot say where data is stored.
10. Incident response and communication
Every provider will have an incident one day. What matters is how they handle it. Ask whether there is a status page, how quickly customers are told, and whether you get a clear explanation afterwards.
Red flag: No public record of how past incidents were communicated.
11. Secrets and configuration handling
API keys, database passwords and tokens should not live inside your code. Check that the platform supports environment variables or a secrets feature, and that access to them is limited.
Red flag: Teams are told to paste passwords into code files.
12. Support and exit plan
Ask whether you can reach a real person for security questions. Also ask what happens when you leave: can you export everything, and is your data deleted afterwards with confirmation?
Red flag: No clear data export or deletion process.
A Real-World Example
Imagine a small agency moving a client’s Laravel store to a managed platform. They compare two providers. One has a polished website and a long feature list. The other answers the 12 questions in writing, including how backups are stored, where data lives and how incidents are shared.
The agency runs a short trial. They restore a backup, test a role with limited access and check the deployment logs. The second provider passes every test. The first never replies to the backup question. The choice is easy. The checklist did the work that a sales call could not.
How to Use This Checklist
- Copy the 12 points into a simple sheet.
- Send the questions to every provider on your shortlist.
- Score each answer as clear, partial or missing.
- Test the most important items during a trial, especially backups and access control.
- Keep the written answers for your records.
Your Own Side of the Checklist
Even with a strong provider, protect your side:
- Use strong, unique passwords and multi-factor login for every team member
- Keep your framework and libraries updated
- Never commit secrets to your code repository
- Give each person only the access they need
- Test your backups
- Review logs now and then
Security Is Not Only About the Platform
The same app can be safe on a managed platform and risky on a badly managed server. Neither model is automatically secure. If you are weighing options, our posts on PaaS vs VPS and PaaS vs dedicated servers explain where the responsibility sits in each case.
Where Our Platform Fits
Our PaaS platform is built so the platform layer is managed for you, with application hosting, managed databases and storage in one place. We encourage you to ask us the same 12 questions you would ask anyone else, and to check the exact details with our team before you decide.
Final Thoughts
A good PaaS security review is not about finding a perfect provider. It is about finding one that is honest, clear and open to questions. Use the 12 points above, test what you can and keep the answers in writing. Then secure your own side with the same care.
Want to talk through your security needs? Explore our PaaS platform, check our PaaS pricing or speak to our team.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is PaaS secure? It can be very secure when the provider handles patching, isolation and backups well, and you secure your own code and logins. Security depends on both sides.
What is the most important PaaS security feature? There is no single one, but access control, encryption, backups and patching cover the basics for most teams.
Who is responsible for security in PaaS? Both. The provider secures the platform. You secure your application, your data and your access.
Do I need compliance certificates from a PaaS provider? Only if your industry requires them. If you do, ask for the actual documents and check what they cover.
Can I test a PaaS provider’s security before buying? Yes. Use a trial to test access roles, backups, restores and logs, and ask your questions in writing.
What should I do if a provider will not answer security questions? Treat that as a warning sign and consider other options.
