It usually starts small: a team signs up for a new SaaS application or connects a personal laptop to a shared workspace, and suddenly, IT has no visibility into what’s running on the network or which IT assets are in use. Most organizations don’t discover shadow IT applications through audits; they typically find them when a cloud service fails, a malware infection spreads, or a data leak surfaces.
Shadow IT refers to any app, device, or workflow added without formal IT approval or outside established IT policies, and it’s far more common than most teams realize. These unauthorized applications quickly become shadow IT assets that operate outside IT visibility, often introducing significant risks to data security, cloud security, and compliance.
This guide explores real-world shadow IT examples, the security risks they create across cloud services and collaboration tools, and how IT teams can regain visibility and control without slowing productivity while minimizing the risks of shadow IT.
Common examples of shadow IT across devices and applications
Teams often adopt non-sanctioned cloud apps or SaaS tools to streamline their work processes, such as messaging apps (e.g., Slack, WhatsApp), project management platforms (e.g., Trello, Asana), or cloud storage services (e.g., Dropbox, Google Drive), rather than using company-approved solutions. Workers also circumvent centralized IT-managed controls by sharing files on personal email or storing data on personal Microsoft OneDrive accounts, which weakens access restrictions.
Informal bring-your-own-device (BYOD) practices also increase the number of unmanaged endpoints (laptops, mobile devices, and IoT devices) that create additional security risks. While these solutions may seem to boost productivity in the short term, they gradually increase the attack surface, open up sensitive data, and create inefficient workflows.
Unauthorized file sharing and cloud storage pose significant non-compliance and data leakage risks, particularly in distributed workforces. Unauthorized use and misconfigurations can occur in a second, such as when a user saves a sensitive file to their personal Dropbox account. Learn how better rule management and network visibility can prevent such misconfigurations in 5 Firewall Rule Cleanup Best Practices. Read Shadow IT Examples to Make You Reconsider Your App for more Shadow IT risks.
Business and compliance risks from shadow IT
Shadow IT is an enabler. As long as it does not cause actual damage, many companies don’t care. The dynamics of the remote workforce, BYOD, and app sprawl make it a challenge for IT to keep track of every single asset. Uncontrolled apps, personal devices, misconfigured settings, permissions oversight, and unmanaged sensitive data leave exploitable gaps.
GDPR, HIPAA, PCI DSS, CCPA, and other regulations demand visibility and control of all sensitive information assets, without exception. The moment a team decides to use unsanctioned tooling (such as Google Drive or Dropbox) outside of IT management’s visibility and control, the likelihood of data breaches, audits, and compliance risks increases significantly. Regulators will come down hard with fines, and public data leaks cause reputational loss, business downtime, and legal expenses.
Shadow IT leads to business inefficiencies. Purchasing duplicates of the same app increases the total cost of ownership. Fragmented app sprawl introduces inefficiency in business processes, increases governance and compliance burdens, and expands the attack surface with unnecessary applications and risky data. Each unaccounted license introduces additional complexity to the environment and reduces data consistency.
Visibility to all assets (centralized) combined with governance and controls (segmentation, access) are the most crucial steps to take in addressing security and compliance gaps in your cloud environment. Automated policy enforcement using the Tufin Orchestration Suite and segmentation/access implemented using the principles described in Inbound vs. Outbound Firewall Rules: Simplifying Network Security.
Governance and visibility to control shadow IT
Visibility is the first step to gaining control of Shadow IT. The IT department should start with discovery. Scanning their networks, traffic logs, and usage can surface unauthorized or unapproved apps, cloud tools, and, since so many employees are still working from home, personal devices that may still be connected to the corporate network.
This provides an inventory of all IT assets to help ensure teams have a clear understanding of where data is located and from where access is coming, so that permissions gaps and vulnerabilities can be identified and addressed.
Visibility is just the beginning. In addition to setting clear security policies around cloud services and sensitive data, visibility must be coupled with accountability. Creating an intuitive and straightforward approval workflow for employees to follow when requesting access to new SaaS tools, along with providing visibility into those requests, can serve as a deterrent to prevent them from using unsanctioned apps like Slack or Dropbox to complete their work.
The Tufin Orchestration Suite can help by managing the lifecycle of rules, policies, and compliance checks to enforce cybersecurity controls consistently across environments.
Shadow IT is a moving target, and continued control will be determined by ongoing automation, flexibility, and, of course, visibility, so innovation doesn’t turn into a security blind spot.
Turning awareness into action
No company has ever completely eliminated shadow IT—and that’s okay. The real challenge is managing it without slowing people down. Every new app, device, or workflow that slips under the IT radar widens the attack surface and opens the door to potential data leaks.
Most employees mean well when they work on personal laptops or use unsanctioned applications, but without clear oversight, even the best collaboration tools can put sensitive information at risk. Strong governance and more intelligent monitoring close those gaps while preserving the benefits of shadow IT. When policies and automation work together, IT teams can protect data security without slowing innovation. If you’re ready to reduce risk and tighten visibility across your hybrid environment, click here to get a demo.
Frequently asked questions
What are some common shadow IT examples in large organizations?
Most IT leaders encounter shadow IT on a weekly basis, often without being aware of it. The most common instances involve employees using personal file-sharing or collaboration tools, unsanctioned collaboration applications, or unauthorized cloud services to complete their work more efficiently. Slack, Google Drive, or even Dropbox show up in every corner of the organization when a team needs a quicker solution for daily workflows. While they make daily workflows smoother, they also expand the attack surface and increase security risks.
To see how proper rule management helps reduce these risks, check out 5 Firewall Rule Cleanup Best Practices.
How do shadow IT examples connect to compliance and data security gaps?
Shadow IT examples often double as compliance gaps because any device or software that falls outside of IT’s purview by definition cannot have standardized security applied or assurances of meeting data protection requirements. These gaps can easily lead to data leaks or compliance check failures if not regularly monitored.
Learn how network segmentation and access management can strengthen compliance in Inbound vs. Outbound Firewall Rules: Simplifying Network Security.
How can IT teams identify and prevent new instances of shadow IT before they spread?
Out of sight, out of mind. Visibility is crucial for preventing shadow IT in the first place. IT teams must track SaaS and cloud-based applications across all teams and departments and understand the data flowing between them. Once IT knows what applications are in use, they can create more intelligent workflows, apply standard approval processes, and identify network vulnerabilities. Regularly reviewing usage policies and communicating changes to teams can also help strike a balance between productivity and data security.
Discover how structured rule management improves network visibility and security in 5 Firewall Rule Cleanup Best Practices.
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