Remote work has skyrocketed over the past few years. While this shift has many advantages — it gives businesses a larger talent pool and drives employee productivity — it also introduces unique cybersecurity concerns. One of the most prominent of these risks is shadow IT.
Why Shadow IT Is a Problem in Remote Work Setups
Shadow IT is the use of unauthorized or unknown software or services within the workforce. Your company likely has official tools for things you’re supposed to use for your day-to-day tasks. However, it can be tempting to use resources outside of these to make things easier, and when people do that, it’s considered shadow IT.
At least 41% of employees today have engaged in shadow IT, but this poses huge security issues. Tech teams can only secure what they know about, so any unofficial apps won’t have the same protections as everything else.
Compatibility with existing cybersecurity solutions aside, any unauthorized software doesn’t go through the same kinds of background checks as official alternatives. As a result, employees could use a vulnerable or compromised tool while handling sensitive work information without knowing it.
Shadow IT creates regulatory concerns, too. Data privacy regulations are becoming stricter at every level, so ensuring your IT stack meets stringent needs is increasingly crucial. Unauthorized software may not comply with these regulations, so using it can put your business in legal trouble.
These risks would be concerning for any kind of workflow, but they’re all the more pressing in remote setups. Off-site workers typically use personal devices on their own networks. As a result, it’s harder to oversee their workday and ensure they’re only using the tech they should be.
How Remote Teams Can Prevent Shadow IT
Shadow IT is tricky to deal with because, by definition, cybersecurity leaders don’t know about it when it arises. However, it is possible to prevent and manage this threat through a few key steps.
1. Learn What Employees Need
The first step to preventing shadow IT is learning where official tools are not meeting employees’ needs. People don’t turn to shadow IT to break the rules. Rather, they usually do it because there’s a more convenient option than the authorized alternative. Consequently, tech leaders can stop it by addressing these gaps.
You can start by surveying workers about their workday. Ask if the organization’s tech stack meets their needs and what other tools they use throughout the day. Let them comment on anything that doesn’t work well or suggest things they think might be better. Any common themes in this feedback represent areas where shadow IT is likely to occur.
2. Simplify Authorized Workflows
Once you know where and why remote employees are turning to shadow IT, you can try to offer an official solution. Look at the software people are already using and see if any are safe enough to authorize. Alternatively, look for new tools that may be easier to use or provide additional functionality.
Remember to keep things simple wherever possible. The average firm uses 110 different apps, and switching between them all can be a pain. Opting for a single, consolidated platform that does it all instead of separate, disjointed programs will make official workflows easier, reducing the temptation of shadow IT.
3. Restrict Data Access Permissions
In some cases, you won’t be able to stop employees from using unauthorized software. However, you can still mitigate the impact. One important step under this umbrella is to restrict data access to only preapproved apps.
Many administrators understand the importance of tight access permissions for users, but it should apply to software, too. Shadow IT is less of an issue when only the applications that need certain information can get it, as it won’t be able to use sensitive data.
4. Automate Asset Discovery
Even with those protections, it’s best to actively hunt for and stop shadow IT. The only way to feasibly do this with a remote workforce is to use an automated asset discovery tool. These solutions use artificial intelligence (AI) to inspect everything connected to company data and platforms to create a record of all endpoints and applications.
Anything that pops up in these searches that isn’t approved deserves attention. You can either specifically restrict the software in your access permissions or consider integrating it into your official IT stack. Which is best depends on how secure it is and how much approving it would help employees.
5. Train Employees
Remember to train all remote workers on why shadow IT can be such a prominent risk. Education is easy to miss as a cybersecurity step, but it’s essential. A staggering 95% of data breaches result from human error, so a little learning goes a long way.
In addition to teaching employees why they should avoid shadow IT, encourage them to speak up about obstacles they encounter. Letting remote workers know they can come to leadership with suggestions may prompt them to ask for help before resorting to unauthorized software.
Shadow IT Is a Growing but Solvable Problem
Remote work has worsened the threat of shadow IT. Still, it hasn’t grown so large that it’s unfixable. The first step is learning about the problem and where it comes from.
Preventing shadow IT is largely a matter of making sure remote employees have everything they need to work efficiently. Once tech leaders understand this, they can avoid this rising issue and mitigate its impact.
