The Truth About Shadow IT

Not every cyber risk comes from the outside. Some walk right in the front door ... in the form of tools, apps, and devices your own employees are using without asking.

It’s called shadow IT. And it’s probably already happening in your business.

What Is Shadow IT?

Shadow IT is any tech your employees use for work that your IT team didn’t approve or doesn’t know about.

It could be:

• A personal Gmail account for work emails.
  
  

• A free file-sharing app instead of the company-approved one.
  
  

• A laptop they bought themselves and set up their way.
  
  

• An unapproved project management tool “just for this one team.”
  
  

None of it goes through your IT department. None of it is monitored, patched, or secured the way your approved systems are.

Why It Happens

Most employees don’t do this to cause trouble. In fact, their reasons usually make sense:

• Convenience — The approved tool feels slow, clunky, or outdated.
  
  

• Productivity — The new app they found “just works better” for them.
  
  

• Lack of Awareness — They don’t see the harm in using a personal account or tool.
  
  

• IT Gaps — They need a solution now and don’t think IT will move fast enough.
  
  

The problem is… even the best intentions can open the door to a mess.

The Risks You Can’t See

Shadow IT is dangerous because it’s invisible until something goes wrong.

1. Security Holes — Unapproved tools rarely meet your security standards. They may be missing critical updates or store data in unsafe ways.
   
   

2. No Oversight — If IT doesn’t know a tool exists, they can’t monitor it, patch it, or protect it.
   
   

3. Data Loss & Silos — Information gets trapped in personal accounts or tools that aren’t backed up, making collaboration harder and risking permanent loss.
   
   

4. Regulatory Trouble — Sensitive data stored in unauthorized apps can violate compliance rules — without you even realizing it.
   
   

5. Wasted IT Costs — Fixing a shadow IT– caused by a security incident takes far more time and money than preventing it in the first place.
   
   

How to Keep It From Becoming a Disaster

You can’t stop what you can’t see ... so start by making shadow IT a conversation, not a witch hunt.

1. Foster Open Communication
If employees feel like IT will say “no” to everything, they’ll stop asking. Make it safe to bring up new tech needs. The earlier you know, the faster you can approve or suggest safer alternatives.

2. Set Clear Policies
List which tools are approved ... and why. When employees understand the security and compliance stakes, they’re less likely to go rogue.

3. Make Approved Tools Worth Using
If your official tools are slow, outdated, or frustrating, shadow IT will fill the gap. Invest in solutions that are intuitive, reliable, and actually make people’s jobs easier.

4. Train Your Team
Most people don’t realize that using an unapproved app can lead to a breach. Show real-world examples of how it happens and the damage it can cause.

5. Monitor Without Micromanaging
Use monitoring tools to spot unauthorized apps and devices. The goal isn’t to spy ... it’s to flag risks before they turn into incidents.

The Bottom Line

Shadow IT isn’t just a tech problem ... it’s a business risk that grows quietly until something breaks. The solution isn’t banning everything employees want to use ... it’s balancing innovation with control.

When you give people the tools they need, communicate the risks clearly, and keep visibility over your tech environment, shadow IT goes from a hidden threat to a manageable challenge.

If you’re already a client, we’re monitoring and securing against this risk every day. If you’re not, shadow IT could be costing you in ways you can’t yet see ... until it’s too late.