What is Shadow IT?

The term Shadow IT refers to all the technologies used within an organization without the agreement, control or knowledge of the IT department.

This may include:

  • Personal cloud storage solutions;
  • Generative artificial intelligence tools;
  • File-sharing applications;
  • Project management software;
  • SaaS services subscribed to directly by business units;
  • Unapproved messaging or collaboration platforms.

Shadow IT is generally not set up with malicious intent. In most cases, employees are simply trying to be more efficient or to get around technical constraints they perceive as excessive.

How does Shadow IT develop?

The rise of the cloud and online services has made it much easier for Shadow IT to emerge.

Today, it takes just a few minutes to create an account on a SaaS platform, store files in the cloud or use an artificial intelligence tool without involving the IT department.

Several factors encourage this phenomenon:

  • The need for speed in projects;
  • Remote work and employee mobility;
  • The proliferation of SaaS tools;
  • The growing use of artificial intelligence;
  • A lack of communication between business and IT teams.

In some companies, dozens or even hundreds of applications may be in use without being officially inventoried.

What are the risks of Shadow IT?

The main danger of Shadow IT lies in the loss of visibility into the data and systems used within the organization.

Cybersecurity risks

Unapproved applications may have vulnerabilities or insufficiently secure configurations.

In particular, they can facilitate:

Without oversight from the IT department, these risks are often detected late.

Data leakage risks

When an employee uses an unauthorized service, company data may be stored in environments whose security level is unknown.

Strategic, financial, commercial or confidential information may then be exposed to third parties or hosted in jurisdictions incompatible with regulatory requirements.

Compliance risks

Shadow IT can make it harder to comply with many regulatory obligations.

This concerns in particular:

  • The GDPR;
  • Industry-specific requirements;
  • ISO 27001 certifications;
  • HDS certifications;
  • Internal security policies.

A business must be able to identify where its data is located and who has access to it.

Data loss risks

One of the most underestimated risks concerns backup.

When a tool is used without IT approval, it is generally not included in the company's backup procedures.

In the event of accidental deletion, a SaaS provider outage or a cyberattack, the data may become permanently inaccessible.

How to limit the risks of Shadow IT?

The goal is not necessarily to ban all the tools used by employees, but to govern their use.

Best practices include:

  • Regularly inventorying the applications in use;
  • Raising employee awareness of digital risks;
  • Defining a clear tool approval policy;
  • Implementing a zero trust approach;
  • Controlling user access and rights;
  • Monitoring data flows;
  • Regularly evaluating SaaS providers.

Effective governance makes it possible to reconcile innovation, productivity and security.

Why is backup essential in the face of Shadow IT?

Even with robust security policies, some unlisted applications may escape the attention of IT teams.

It is therefore essential to implement a backup strategy capable of protecting critical data, wherever it is located.

In particular, backup makes it possible to:

  • Quickly restore deleted data
  • Recover information after a cyberattack
  • Limit business interruptions
  • Strengthen the company's resilience

It is an indispensable complement to prevention and control measures.

KiwiBackup's role in addressing the risks of Shadow IT

At KiwiBackup, data is protected through encrypted, automated and monitored backup mechanisms. Businesses gain better control over their data, even as digital environments grow more complex with the proliferation of cloud and SaaS tools.

This approach helps strengthen organizations' resilience against the risks of data loss, cyberattacks or uncontrolled use of IT resources.

Conclusion

Shadow IT has become a reality in most organizations. While it can meet legitimate operational needs, it also introduces significant risks in terms of cybersecurity, compliance and data protection.

Better visibility into the tools in use, combined with a suitable security policy and a reliable backup strategy, can considerably reduce these risks and support companies' digital transformation with confidence.