{"id":121490,"date":"2025-03-17T08:55:00","date_gmt":"2025-03-17T12:55:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jumpcloud.com\/?p=121490"},"modified":"2025-02-21T15:03:13","modified_gmt":"2025-02-21T20:03:13","slug":"reclaim-shadow-it-as-a-powerful-strategic-advantage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jumpcloud.com\/blog\/reclaim-shadow-it-as-a-powerful-strategic-advantage","title":{"rendered":"Reclaim Shadow IT As A Powerful Strategic Advantage"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

If you\u2019re an IT professional working at a small- to medium-sized enterprise (SME), there\u2019s about a 90% chance you\u2019re worried about shadow IT<\/a>. (Make that closer to 100%, since you clicked on this blog.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And if you feel like it\u2019s getting worse, you\u2019re not crazy. Several factors are making shadow IT more common, from the average employee becoming more digitally savvy to a diversifying wealth of cloud tools available, all of which are incredibly easy for the average user to sign up for. As economic pressures and business competition push us to do more<\/em>, faster<\/em>, it\u2019s no surprise when employees use everything that\u2019s available to them \u2014 whether it\u2019s officially sanctioned or not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As you likely know, shadow IT poses significant risk, regardless of an employee\u2019s intentions. And the longer you leave it, the more the problem compounds. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s rather anxiety-inducing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fortunately, though, there\u2019s a way to get shadow IT to work to your advantage. This blog will walk you through how.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Note: Unless otherwise cited, all data cited in this blog is sourced from <\/em>探花大神\u2019s 2025 SME IT Trends Report: Simplifying IT in the Fast Lane of Change<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shadow IT Is Rampant \u2014 and Still On the Rise<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

First, let\u2019s level set: shadow IT is no joke. It has become the second-most common cyberattack vector, following phishing attacks. In fact, shadow IT is linked to 37% of cyberattacks against SMEs. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

More than half of SMEs have discovered shadow IT in their environments. The majority (60%) suspect that employees are using six or more shadow resources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, why aren\u2019t IT professionals doing more to stop it? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As it turns out, vanquishing shadow IT is easier said than done. When we asked SME IT professionals why they didn\u2019t address shadow IT, 39% said that users move too quickly for them to keep up, and 38% said that they didn\u2019t have the visibility to discover all the shadow resources in use. Those are tough challenges to go head-to-head with.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But Shadow IT Is Also a Learning Opportunity <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019ve established that shadow IT is bad. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But..<\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It can also represent an opportunity to learn and improve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shadow IT is a window into some pretty important insights. It shows you what employees need to get work done. How they prefer to work. Which tools they wish the company provided. Which tools the company does<\/em> provide that aren\u2019t sufficient. Knowledge gaps (do users not realize that we already have a tool for that?). What\u2019s faster. What\u2019s better. What\u2019s working and what isn\u2019t. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rather than scolding, banning, and moving on when you discover an instance of shadow IT, consider it a window into unmet organizational needs. These are insights into where to focus your efforts in reducing shadow IT as well as where you can power better productivity, efficiency, and user satisfaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to Grow from Shadow IT<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s how to leverage discovered shadow IT as an opportunity to improve. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Identify and document unmet user needs.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There are many ways to find shadow IT. SaaS discovery<\/a> tools are the most systematic and reliable, but even manual checks can help uncover shadow resources. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you find a shadow resource, document it, and work with users to understand why<\/em> they use it. Their answers can help you understand what your company is missing in its current toolset. If the company does<\/em> offer an adequate alternative that they didn\u2019t know about, this reveals a communication gap. The good news is that these are easy to fix with an email, memo, or quick training session. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Document shadow IT instances and their underlying reasoning as you discover them. Over time, this will help you identify patterns, so you can address shadow IT at a systemic level rather than only by individual instance as it crops up. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Address these needs collaboratively. <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When we asked SME IT professionals why they think employees use shadow IT, they reported the six following reasons: <\/p>\n\n\n\n