[Term of the Day]: Shadow IT

Term of the Day

“Shadow IT”

Definition — What is Shadow IT?

Shadow IT refers to any IT system, solution, technology, or devices (smartphone, tablet, laptops, etc.) that’s used by users within an organization without the knowledge and approval of the IT department. Shadow IT aka Stealth IT or Fake IT. Oftentimes, the process of seeking official IT approval for new applications is onerous and long, so employees take matters into their own hands.

Shadow IT exists in almost every business and organization. The recent COVID-19 crisis has changed our ways of working, most of the workforces are confined to work from their homes, the use of personal networks and devices is growing rapidly. This allows users/employees to install or work with external applications. While this may improve user productivity, however, it exposes users and their organizations to a wide range of cyber threats. Organizations can minimize risk by educating users and taking preventative measures to monitor and manage sensitive applications.

Steps to Manage Shadow IT

Come up with a simplified approval process, make it quick and easy for users to get an application approved or rejected.
Develop an internal app store for all applications that have been evaluated and approved for use within the corporate infrastructure.
Block applications that are deemed dangerous and require users to seek approval before downloading.
Continuously monitor organizations network firewall activity(both inbound and outbound), to identify any suspicious traffic for further analysis.
Schedule a periodic report to users advising of possible shadow IT activities and to report any suspicious activity to the IT department

You may know more about the ManageEngine Browser Security Plus tool that IT admins can use to obtain visibility on what applications are being used in their networks and also to allow or deny access to specific web applications. This will not only help IT admins keep costs in check but also ensures security without compromising on user productivity.