According to Gartner, the next five years will be crucial to understanding digital diversity management. Your organization will have to stay on top of this trend in order to stay secure and compliant. Unfortunately, Shadow IT has a way of presenting itself in ways many organizations may have yet to anticipate, so it is important that you begin to learn how to identify these weak spots. One example of this would be self-developed apps. If someone creates an application and then goes on to leave the company, it can be very difficult to manage that app as no one truly knows how to use or secure it other than the author.
It has been estimated that 33 percent of successful cyber-attacks will be achieved through Shadow IT applications, which means your organization’s approach to visibility and security may require reevaluation. All other Shadow IT issues and risks will stem from the security of your enterprise in some way, so you must be able to find the gaps.
A common way Shadow IT manifests is through SaaS applications. First of all, it is dangerous to not know where all SaaS applications are being utilized. If you can’t recall where they are used, by who, and what data is stored within them, your IT department will not be able to fully protect the organization. Remember: if it’s not seen, it’s not protected. Second, stay aware of software that has reached end-of-support. Running outdated software could seriously compromise your organization, as it is simply no longer running at maximum efficiency.
There are, of course, other Shadow IT risk factors brought on by digital asset diversity, with non-compliance being one of them. Take the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), for example. Staying in compliance with GDPR requires extra manpower and attention to detail, which lends itself to a slip-up every now and again. Also, stay aware of free for non-commercial use software. Any types of software that are marketed as free often come with their own set of agreements and requirements. Ensure that no one in your organization is installing this type of software without carefully understanding the End User License Agreement (EULA).