Some of the best employees are ones who find ways to work smarter, not harder. But sometimes, the best of intentions can lead to the worst of outcomes. An employee finds a new app or a promising online tool that they incorporate into their daily routine at the office without consulting IT, not realizing it could put their organization at significant risk.
This quiet but growing trend is known as shadow IT. It’s when technology systems, software, or services are used inside an organization without approval from the IT department or the IT steering committee charged with taking a centralized approach to the company’s technology. For many businesses, especially small and midsize organizations, shadow IT is happening far more often than they realize. Employees engage in the practice for a number of reasons: the existing systems feel slow or outdated, they need a quick workaround, or the collaboration tools currently being used don’t meet their needs. Whatever the reason, they’re often not fully aware of the damage it can cause.
Why Does This Matter?
The risks with using shadow IT are very real:
- It exposes your systems to cyber attacks — Unapproved apps, software and devices aren’t vetted for security. They may lack proper encryption, have weak access controls, or be vulnerable to malware. When employees store or share your business data through these tools, your information can become exposed and your IT staff has no awareness, limiting their ability to take action.
- It may violate compliance — Regulations such as CMMC, HIPAA, GDPR, PCI, and CCPA require strict control and documentation over how data is stored, accessed, and transmitted. The use of shadow IT can open a door to the outside cyber world, making compliance nearly impossible and increasing the risk of expensive fines and damaging audits.
- It can cause data loss and fragmentation — When your business data is stored in personal email accounts, unsanctioned cloud drives, or free software tools, your IT team can’t properly back it up or protect it. Critical files can be lost, duplicated, or locked inside services no one knew your business was using.
- It creates operational inefficiencies — Despite best intentions, shadow IT often creates more chaos, not less. Multiple unapproved tools lead to inconsistent workflows, siloed communication, and confusion about which system holds the “real” information.
- It’s costly — When the IT inevitably breaks, your IT team must scramble to fix problems in systems they didn’t approve, don’t manage, and sometimes can’t even access. That costs your business both time and money.
What You Can Do:
You can take steps today to create a secure, user-friendly environment within your company where employees don’t feel the need to go around IT. Here’s how:
- Provide your employees with modern, easy-to-use tools — Offer solutions that work for your employees. The right tools will give your employees the functionality they need without resorting to personal apps or accounts.
- Create clear IT policies — Make sure your employees know the rules and why they exist. Your policies should clearly outline approved software and services, how to request new tools, what types of apps are prohibited and why following the policies matters. Make your guidelines accessible and easy to understand.
- Make software requests fast and simple — Enable your employees to request needed software quickly. Streamline your process to reduce frustration and increase compliance.
- Train your employees — Training shouldn’t be a one-time event. Make it ongoing to help employees understand the risks of unapproved IT tools, the signs of cyber threats, and the importance of data protection and compliance.
- Implement strong monitoring and endpoint management — Cybersecurity tools such as centralized patch management, endpoint detection and response (EDR), and cloud access security brokers (CASBs) can help IT staff gain visibility into unauthorized apps and services. These solutions ensure your data stays safe no matter where it’s being accessed.
- Survey your staff — Take some time to learn what type of technology your staff needs and develop a roadmap to provide those solutions. Listening and following through on staff concerns will help build visibility and trust within your organizations.
Need Support?
If you’d like help evaluating your current cybersecurity and setting up systems that reduce the use of shadow IT in your business environment, ATB is here to support you. 👉 Schedule a free consultation today at atb-tech.com/contact-us to find out more.
About ATB Technologies
ATB Technologies is an award-winning managed service provider (MSP) that helps businesses solve technology problems and navigate which solutions best support their business strategy and goals. Our IT experts help companies maximize their business IT while offering an exceptional level of customer service. We’re ready to help and provide IT support that never lets you down. ATB has been twice recognized by Inc. 5000 as one of the fastest-growing private companies in the U.S. Find out more at atb-tech.com