Software-as-a-service (SaaS) is being adopted for a wider range of uses, and not all of them are for the good. On the plus side, OpSource, a SaaS hosting company, late last week announced OpSource Connect, a new feature that will allow companies to consume and publish multiple Web services across their SaaS applications and connect those services with legacy apps.

SaaS applications, including those of Salesforce.com and NetSuite, can be integrated with legacy enterprise applications behind the corporate firewall to protect data integrity. These legacy connections are enabled via a service called OpSource Sockets.

On the unfortunate side, security vendor Finjan has discovered a SaaS-like toolkit that is stealing account information for FTP sites, including some of the top 100 domains as rated by Alexa.com.

The crimeware, which originated in Russia, allowed multiple users to attack a target, trying to find the credentials that would allow for access to the server's file system. The ill-gotten account information would then be validated and sold to other cybercriminals, all through an automated service.

The standard-bearer for SaaS, Salesforce.com, reported its year-end numbers last week. The company posted net income for the year of $18.3 million, or 16 cents per share, on revenues of $556.8 million, a 45 percent improvement over the $381.8 million in fiscal year 2007. Net income in fiscal 2008 was $481,000.

Salesforce.com is taking the show on the road. Dreamforce Europe, the first international customer show, will take place in London on May 7 and 8, with an interesting mix of speakers that includes Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales and musician Peter Gabriel.