How to Manage App Security Amid Expanding Shadow IT

Marketing Team Cloud Security Expert - CloudCodes Software
  • December 16th, 2020

Manage App Security By Exploring Shadow IT

Cloud information security is all about protecting information, which is stored in a virtual cloud. This requires a cybersecurity policy that comprises of security provision to secure content, originated from user endpoints. However, it is easy to state such kind of security lines but, they are much difficult in implementation and use. In today’s date, either to manage app security or for any sort of purpose, enterprises are completely dependent on automated procedures. They do not utilize a unique set of devices to work with business applications. It is now a common scenario to use applications and hardware, which are not authorized by IT department. All this is possible due to the occurrence of bring-your-own-device (BYOD) concept, complete mobile workforce, and growth in relationship between personal and professional devices. This kind of unauthorized use of software or hardware is considered as shadow IT, which is like a nightmare for security in charge. It is impossible for a security executive to manage app security with those things about which he or she is totally unaware off. In this manner, employees are unintentionally putting organizational information at higher risk everyday.

Identification of App Security Perps

As per the Nintex research done in June 2018, it was found that almost two-thirds of company employees have broken IT procedures within an organization. Users have turned their work to shadow IT devices for flexibility purpose and fix their own issues. The most surprising fact in this survey was that ‘IT employees are themselves responsible for problem caused because of Shadow IT technology’. 60% of the users are getting charged for protecting their organization from ‘rogue use of application’ that initiate security challenges while coding the programs.

Fixing the IT Challenges

Manage App security under overall workload environment is terrific problem. IT departments are quite slow in giving response to the problems associated with programs and codes. When problems are kept untouched, employees start solving the problem on their own. This self-decision of business employees might cause good result and even the worst result. Therefore, IT executives are advised to work over the problem as soon as possible because their laziness might result in Cyberattack or sudden information breaches.

Businesses can manage app security by appointing a strong IT internal staff that act as a front line. At the time of testing new software or technology, they should be having the capability of addressing the cybersecurity problems and ask coders to work over them. Unluckily, the inequality between technology proficiency and security proficiency leads to arising from unauthorized network devices and applications. The late recognition of risks and vulnerabilities will cause a Cyber attack because they might be present in new software.

Business employees are not only the one who is responsible for managing app security. Other individuals who are responsible for the same are the one who accesses former employees data. If the former users are engaged in the Shadow IT, they might have corporate information saved on their apps or devices. Neither IT engineers nor leaders are having knowledge regarding what is unprotected and at risk for breaching, because of the unsanctioned endpoint usage. This means that higher business authorities should be careful while giving data access permissions to their employees.

A question comes in mind that Why do questions and concerns of network and application linger? Yes, it is true that IT staff members are victims for a broken system. When it is about accountability, their own team leaders might be dropping the ball. IT staff is expected to oversee any machine issue because a ‘computer person’ is the business face for technology approaches. These type of persons face hurdles like operations unrelated to formal duties, budget restraints, under-staffing, etc., which are not faced by the rest of the company departments. C-level executives need to put hard efforts on resolving the IT problems in order to deliver Shadow IT facility without any threat. CISCO of the company should be answerable about the processes and queries regarding business cloud security.

Shadow IT Protection

The unauthorized applications and devices use brings bundle of issues within an organization. These unsanctioned programs might result in jam bandwidth that decreases employee productivity. This also causes information leakage or theft, asking organization to pay millions of dollars in finance for bearing the loss. Organizations may also lose their licenses and certifications. To be safe from such a horrible scenario, enterprises should manage app security with Shadow IT. Both things have to be balanced properly by a security expert.

Shadow IT with manage app security solution should begin from the top. An administrator should be responsible for network security. He or she should be capable of quickly responding to broken processes. A monitoring software should be utilized that shows the usage of unsanctioned applications and devices, which are accessed by external entities. IT team should train employees with trending security tips, need to keep in mind while using the business content. In this manner, proprietary information protection’s ownership would be trickle down and modified into the entire organizational infrastructure.

Make Cybersecurity As Regular Part of Life

Operations become difficult to implement or use when they are new to a person. When an individual becomes used to, he or she makes that particular operation as a regular part of life. Same things come with at the time of managing app security! Administrators need to keep one thing in mind that whenever changes or modifications are taking place, initially they need to ensure security. Similarly, engineers who are testing the software should check the vulnerabilities and ask coders to fix them at the initial level. Shadow IT is a profitable technology if it is used in a clever manner. Business authorities are recommended to think thrice before giving their confidential information in an employee’s hand.

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