Every boss wants their staff to be enthusiastic about doing their job, right?
But when the need for speed and agility causes security breaches, you’ve got a Shadow IT problem—and it’s not uncommon.
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗱𝗼𝘄 𝗜𝗧?
Shadow IT refers to any software, cloud service, or tool operating outside the visibility and control of IT departments, often causing security and compliance gaps you cannot see.
It often arises because people just want a better way to do their job. Think employees using WhatsApp for team updates or uploading sensitive files to personal Google Drives.
Even if it starts with good intentions, these practices carry serious risks. Shockingly, 𝟱𝟬% 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗱𝗼𝘄 𝗜𝗧, with 𝟰𝟱% 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗮𝗴𝗲, that’s according to WiFiTalents.com.
Remote working has been a key driver. More than 𝟴𝟬% 𝗼𝗳 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗲𝗿𝘀 rely on non-approved tools, often due to slow IT processes.
In addition, 𝟱𝟲% 𝗼𝗳 𝗻𝗼𝗻-𝗜𝗧 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗳𝗳 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗴𝗴𝗹𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗜𝗧 𝗶𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗲𝘀, prompting them to install apps they know and like.
These aren’t just abstract warnings—they’re real cracks in an organisation’s digital armour.
𝗟𝗲𝘁 𝗣𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗲—𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘀
Before you start pointing fingers and curbing your team’s enthusiasm for innovation, there is a simple fix—a way to plug those holes, and safely. The solution isn’t to clamp down—it’s to provide 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗲, 𝗳𝗹𝗲𝘅𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀 staff want to use.
And one of the best ways to do that is by using the tech people already know and trust: 𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝗼𝗳𝘁 𝟯𝟲𝟱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺 to build a modern ecosystem that allows efficiency to thrive.
At 𝗛𝗚 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆, we’ve helped scores of organisations and hybrid teams protect themselves from the perils of individuals going rogue. These are some of the key Microsoft tools and how they help:
𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝗼𝗳𝘁 𝟯𝟲𝟱
• Built-in security, cloud-native, and trusted by teams everywhere.
• Work together with Teams, SharePoint, and OneDrive—without compromising compliance.
• Data loss prevention, access controls, and encryption are all included as standard.
𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺 (𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝘀, 𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲, 𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗕𝗜)
• Gives employees the tools to solve problems themselves—securely and efficiently.
• Lets non-technical staff build apps, automate tasks, and spot trends without turning to risky third-party tools.
𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝗼𝗳𝘁 𝗗𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗖𝗹𝗼𝘂𝗱 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝘀
• Keeps an eye on unsanctioned apps running under the radar.
• Helps IT teams spot Shadow IT fast and steer people toward safer alternatives.
𝗘𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗮 𝗜𝗗 (𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗔𝘇𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗔𝗗)
• Simple sign-in and multi-factor authentication for secure access, wherever people are.
• Let’s you stay in control of who gets access to what—even across hybrid or remote setups.
𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗦𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗮 𝗟𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗹
If you’re concerned that Shadow IT issues might be creeping in to your organisation, get in touch for an audit or a quick Power Platform walkthrough. We’ll show you how easy it is to stay secure while letting your teams thrive.
