What is shadow SaaS?
Shadow SaaS refers to SaaS applications that are used within an organization without the approval or knowledge of the IT department, security teams or other relevant decision-makers. These applications are typically adopted by individual employees or teams within various departments to address specific objectives and requirements that may not be addressed by the IT solutions supported by the organization.
They fulfill a specific need, such as collaboration, project management, training and development, vendor communications, or expense management, but they are not properly accessed, officially sanctioned, or supported by the organization's IT infrastructure.
Why is shadow SaaS a concern?
Shadow SaaS can pose a number of challenges for organizations, including security risks, data privacy concerns, and difficulties with data integration and management.
In order to mitigate and continuously monitor these risks, organizations can leverage a dedicated SaaS management and SaaS security solution. These efforts can be internally supported by developing company-wide SaaS strategy on policies and procedures for managing Shadow SaaS and educating employees on the risks and benefits of using these applications.
