Shadow IT: The Hidden Risk Lurking Inside Your Business
When most business owners think about cybersecurity threats, they picture hackers, phishing emails, or ransomware attacks. But there’s a threat far closer to home—and often overlooked: Shadow IT.
What Is Shadow IT?
Shadow IT refers to any tech, software, or cloud-based services used by employees without the knowledge or approval of your IT department. Think of:
- A team member using their personal Dropbox account to share company files.
- Staff running productivity apps that weren’t officially vetted.
- Remote workers logging into unsecured Wi-Fi without VPN protection.
These tools are often well-intentioned—people just trying to get their work done faster. But without proper oversight, they become serious vulnerabilities.
Why It’s a Problem
Unapproved apps and devices can:
- Bypass security protocols
- Create data silos and inconsistencies
- Increase your risk of data loss or breach
- Make compliance nearly impossible
If your IT provider isn’t aware of all the tools in use, they can’t protect them.
What Businesses Should Be Doing
- Educate Employees: Your team needs to understand the risks of unapproved tools.
- Centralize IT Management: Use endpoint management tools to monitor and manage devices.
- Implement Clear Policies: Define which apps are allowed—and which are not.
- Offer Better Alternatives: Sometimes Shadow IT happens because official tools are clunky or inefficient.
This is where an experienced IT partner like Benson Communications can make a difference. We help businesses of all sizes identify, eliminate, and replace Shadow IT with secure, scalable solutions. We’ll audit your systems, provide safer alternatives, and create a policy framework that works for your team.
And Don’t Forget: Always Back Up Your Data
Shadow IT increases the risk of data loss because important files may live in places your backup system doesn’t even see. Regardless of what software or systems your business uses, backing up your data is non-negotiable.
Even the most advanced cybersecurity strategy can’t recover what isn’t saved. Benson Communications offers dependable, automated data backup solutions to keep your business protected—whether files are on a server, in the cloud, or floating in a forgotten Dropbox.
