Cybersecurity Awareness
Nov 19, 2025
Shadow IT: The Hidden Cyber Risk You’re Not Monitoring
Every organisation today relies on cloud apps, collaboration tools, and online services to move faster. But this convenience has created a silent and fast-growing problem: Shadow IT, the use of tools, platforms, and software that are not approved, secured, or monitored by your internal IT or security teams.
From free file-sharing sites and rogue SaaS accounts to unvetted AI tools and personal email logins, Shadow IT expands your attack surface in ways you may not even be aware of.
At CoreDefense, we help organisations uncover these blind spots before they become security incidents, compliance failures, or data breaches.
What Is Shadow IT?
Shadow IT refers to any technology used inside the business without the knowledge or approval of the IT or security function. Examples include:
Employees storing documents in personal cloud accounts
Teams purchasing SaaS tools without IT involvement
Developers bypassing security controls to “move faster”
Use of AI tools that upload sensitive company data
Unsecured devices connecting to the corporate network
These actions are usually not malicious, they are driven by convenience, speed, and productivity. But they create unseen vulnerabilities.
