September 23, 2024 at 10:19AM
Employees increasingly turn to unauthorized IT solutions, known as “shadow IT,” to improve productivity, posing security and compliance risks. This involves using unapproved devices, software, and services. To manage these risks, strategies include identifying root causes, educating employees, establishing clear policies, and leveraging technology tools. Adopting External Attack Surface Management (EASM) solutions like Outpost24 helps in discovering and monitoring internet-facing assets to mitigate shadow IT risks.
Based on the meeting notes, the main points and key takeaways are:
1. Shadow IT, unauthorized IT solutions used by employees, poses significant security risks, compliance issues, and hidden costs to organizations.
2. Factors driving the rise of shadow IT include the need for efficiency, frustration with rigid IT processes, and the widespread availability of cloud services.
3. The prevalence of shadow IT includes the use of personal devices, unauthorized cloud services, unapproved productivity and communication tools, and software deployment without IT’s knowledge.
4. Various research findings highlight the severity of the issue, including the high percentage of cyber incidents tied directly to shadow IT and the significant portion of shadow IT spending in large enterprises.
5. To mitigate the risks associated with shadow IT, organizations should adopt strategies such as understanding the root causes, educating employees, establishing clear policies, and leveraging technology for continuous discovery and monitoring of unknown IT assets.
6. External Attack Surface Management (EASM) tools, such as the solution provided by Outpost24, are recommended for efficiently managing shadow IT and controlling an organization’s attack surface.
7. Outpost24’s EASM solution offers real-time discovery, analysis, and monitoring of all internet-facing assets connected to an organization, and integrates with popular platforms for streamlined remediation.
8. EASM provides organizations with a powerful way to regain control over their attack surface and mitigate the real risks associated with shadow IT.
Overall, the meeting notes emphasize the importance of recognizing and addressing the inherent security, compliance, and productivity risks associated with unauthorized shadow IT solutions, and propose EASM as a powerful solution to illuminate the shadows and regain control over an organization’s attack surface.