What is Shadow IT and Why You Should Care?

One key problem facing organizations is the rise of shadow IT, where employees operate unauthorized apps or devices without their knowledge. 84% of employees say they are very or somewhat concerned about this because it creates security risks, data breaches, and compliance issues. The rampant distribution of unsanctioned tools makes it even more difficult for your IT organization to safeguard this valuable information from outside factors.

This is where Swif comes to your rescue with an intelligent Chrome Extension designed to manage permissions across hundreds of SaaS applications. 

Employee access lists are automatically recorded and synced, so IT techs see everything with zero workflow disruption. Swif ensures you remain in control of the IT landscape and provides ease of access management. You conduct regular risk assessments, but Shadow IT is still at your doorstep. 

This article will explore why Shadow IT is a problem and how Swif's Chrome Extension could help you.

What is Shadow IT?

Shadow IT is a label that's given to any software, hardware, or online service being used within your company without explicit management approval.

It might be someone storing work files in their personal Dropbox account or a team adopting a new project management tool without checking it with IT. While these may seem like some shortcut tools, they bring long-term risks with them.

Shadow IT occurs because of technology infrastructure gaps in the organization. Employees may try to find ways to make their jobs easier to increase productivity. They might use cloud-based services to share files or communication tools instead of those offered by the company that they believe work better.

IT otherwise leaves these tools unmonitored, and subsequently, these devices open the organization up to far worse security risks.

The Risks of Shadow IT

The primary problem it creates is the lack of visibility and control for your corporate IT department. Since IT doesn't know what tools employees are using, it has no way to monitor for security threats - which means your company is vulnerable to attacks by cybercriminals.

Unauthorized apps are generally unprotected compared to approved apps, which makes them easy prey. Data is at risk when an employee stores sensitive data in unapproved apps or uses insecure communication tools.

Shadow IT is not just a security issue but also a compliance problem. Many industries have very stringent regulations about how data must be handled and stored.

If there are unapproved tools (which don't fulfill these standards) in use among employees, this might result in huge fines or legal liabilities. Such is especially dangerous in the healthcare, finance, and faux-legal sectors, where things going off the rails could ruin your life.

Second, they risk being inefficient and wasting resources. This causes fragmentation in an organization's technology stack and creates silos of information, a precursor to the biggest challenge for IT teams. Disparate tools employees use may result in inefficiencies around collaboration and slowed production.

However, overlapping subscriptions for the same or similar tools can result in higher costs. These inefficiencies can easily get out of hand, becoming time- and budget-sucking without IT monitoring them.

How Swif’s Chrome Extension Can Help

Swif is a powerful solution for managing and mitigating risks from Shadow IT. Our Chrome Extension allows you to easily control access to different SaaS (Software as a Service) applications. 

One of the key issues IT departments battle with when it comes to Shadow IT is identifying who in their organization is using what tools. Managing access lists across many different platforms by hand is a time-consuming and error-prone process.

Swif's Chrome Extension does everything in the background, capturing and refreshing employee access lists and syncing them in real-time across all of your organization's SaaS platforms. This allows IT to govern access, and no unauthorized tools are used. Swif makes it happen easily, automatically, and behind the scenes without users going through multiple screens or logging in for access changes. It shortens lead times and gives your IT department what it needs to keep pace with Shadow IT.

With this extension, IT is given immediate insight into real-time employee access — meaning they can now find out who has access to what applications. That level of visibility is key to keeping Shadow IT reigned. Having a current and accurate picture of employee access across your platforms streamlines IT responses regarding performance risk, keeping all data secure and compliant.

Why Swif is a Game-Changer

Swif's Chrome Extension is not just a tool to manage access; it's something that will change the game against Shadow IT. Swif Chrome Extension automates the process of capturing and retreating access lists, eliminating the most tedious and error-prone parts of access management. It allows your IT team to focus on more strategic work and not be tied down by routine activities.

One of the key aspects of the Swif Chrome extension is that it seamlessly fits into existing workflows. It allows your employees to keep using the tools they need (to be productive) and gives IT some control so that we can make sure everything is secure and compliant. 

Employees don't have to switch from one platform to another or disrupt their work to fit IT monitoring. All the magic occurs in the background, making it a seamless experience for employees and IT simultaneously.

It also secures employees automatically update-to-date access lists and IT always knows who has access to what. There is no chance of unsanctioned tools falling through the cracks because IT always knows what is being used and by whom. Say goodbye to fragmented information and manual tracking; say hello to a more integrated, secured, and compliant workplace using Swif.

Stay Ahead of Shadow IT

Every business has to face shadow IT in the current digital age. Employees may have the best intentions when using unsanctioned tools, but the risks outweigh any potential return. Unchecked shadow IT can even result in security breaches, compliance violations, and wasted resources that could land your business in a world of problems.

That said, taming Shadow IT doesn't have to be a scary ordeal when the correct tools are there to save the day. Swif provides Chrome Extension, which is the simplest and most effective way to get ahead with Shadow IT. With automatic capture and syncing of employee access lists into every SaaS, your IT department has the visibility required to secure and be a compliant company.

Shadow IT should be a concern in your organization. So you need to hold onto your data and meet compliance without interrupting the workflow of their employees. Get started on working towards a more secure and productive workplace with Swif Chrome Extension.