What is “Shadow IT”?

Shadow IT refers to hardware, software, applications, or services that employees use without the knowledge or explicit approval of the central IT department. With the rise of remote and hybrid work environments, employees have increasingly turned to their own tools, such as Google Docs, Zoom, Dropbox, or niche SaaS platforms, to get work done faster and more flexibly. While often well-intentioned, this practice introduces security risks, compliance issues, and visibility challenges for CIOs and IT leaders.