Apps and online services that staff adopt for their work without the approval or knowledge of the IT department.
Shadow IT covers the personal devices and online apps that staff bring into company work on their own, out of sight of the IT department.
Shadow IT often comes from a wish to move faster, but it creates serious security gaps. Unvetted third-party applications can lead to data exfiltration and compliance breaches.
AI has added a new form, "Shadow AI": employees pasting sensitive company data into public LLMs. Zynolabs addresses this by providing controlled Private AI alternatives that meet employee needs without compromising the enterprise architecture.
See also Data Exfiltration, Private AI, Enterprise Architecture and Digital Transformation.