What is Shadow IT?: The Invisible Threat to Business Cyber Security
No, we don’t just mean when the sun puts you in the shadow of your monitors. As the digital workplace evolves into an increasingly hybrid and decentralised model, Shadow IT has increasingly become an unknown threat for businesses worldwide. This term, often unfamiliar to those outside the IT sector, signifies the use of technology, software, and services without the approval or monitoring of a business’ IT department. While “Shadow IT” can boost productivity and provide users with a range of other tools, it also poses significant cyber security risks that businesses cannot afford to ignore.
The Growing Threat of Shadow IT
In hybrid working environments, employees use a vast array of applications, approximately 130 on average across businesses, to accomplish their tasks. However, security teams don't check, and business IT doesn't approve many of these applications. This mass of unknown, unapproved, and unmanaged applications forms a blind spot to a business’ IT environment, known as Shadow IT. Surprisingly, it is estimated that up to 50% of applications used by employees fall outside of a business’ management and cyber security policy. These figures highlight the scale of the challenge businesses face in managing and securing their digital environments.
The Cyber Security Implications
The risks posed by Shadow IT are significant. The lack of oversight and management by business of their devices/endpoints means these unsanctioned, and potentially insecure, tools could potentially introduce heightened vulnerabilities and compliance issues.
70% of Businesses have been compromised by unknown or unmanaged assets in the past year. This is partly because Shadow IT encompasses applications accessed from anywhere, on any endpoint the user accesses in the business; desktop, laptop, smartphone, tablet and so on. The pairing of applications and devices across this vast array of devices increases the attack surface significantly.
Shadow IT Security
Addressing the risks associated with Shadow IT requires a nuanced approach that balances the essential requirement for business cyber security, with the benefits of innovation and productivity that these tools can bring. Thankfully, there are solutions we can help businesses implement to secure this gap.
Employee Needs: Businesses should strive to understand the limitations employees encounter with approved applications. This should also include a range of common applications that users across departments may ask to use. For example, home or remote users may want to listen to music through Spotify or Apple Music, may need to zip or unzip files/folders, may require a media viewer and much more. This understanding can help IT departments provide secure, approved alternatives that meet employees' needs without compromising overall business security.
Educating the Workforce: Raising awareness about the potential risks of Shadow IT and promoting responsible use of technology are crucial steps. cyber security education within businesses should focus on the importance of why only using approved applications is allowed and the potential consequences of unapproved and potentially insecure applications.
Implementing Comprehensive Identity and Access Management: Verifying the identity of those accessing applications is more crucial than ever. Solutions like Single Sign-On (SSO), Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA/2FA), Passkeys, and Password Managers can secure both managed and unmanaged apps by ensuring strong, unique credentials for each application, going a long way towards filling many of the gaps left by Shadow IT.
Additionally, by implementing the Policy of Least Privileged Access (PoLP) you can ensure that employees only have the minimum administration and access requirements designed to allow them to accomplish their role effectively. By implementing this policy, you can ensure that only authorised team members can approve the implementation of applications in addition to those laid out by business mobile device management policies.
Regular Audits and Compliance Checks: Using tools such as Mobile Device Management, Endpoint Management, and conducting regular audits to detect the use of unapproved applications can help businesses maintain control over their digital ecosystem. These checks, coupled with robust IT policies and frameworks, ensure that all applications meet your business security and compliance standards.
How can TwentyFour protect your business from Shadow IT?
The growth of Shadow IT in recent years underscores the essential need for businesses to adapt to the changing digital landscape. By understanding the reasons behind its adoption, educating employees, and implementing robust management solutions & cyber security measures, businesses can turn the challenge of Shadow IT into an opportunity to enhance their overall cyber security posture.
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