CIO OPINION
Left unchecked , the issues associated with shadow IT can rapidly compound over time . It introduces security threats into the networks and creates scalability issues .
Rahul Bhageeradhan , Global Director – Digital
Architecture , Kissflow
Leveraging Low-code to counter the looming threat of shadow IT
Shadow IT has become a growing concern for IT teams as business users in the post-pandemic world prioritise productivity over process . Here ’ s how Low-code solutions can help bridge the divide . Rahul Bhageeradhan , Global Director – Digital Architecture , Kissflow discusses how the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the challenge of shadow IT and how IT can win back control , while delivering innovation at pace and scale using Low-code platforms .
Shadow IT is now a critical issue faced by many enterprises . It creeps into organisations as business users look for agile technology to meet their needs without the consent of their IT teams . It can begin from a seemingly innocuous action , like using one ’ s cellular data to access a work-related document to something far more serious , like an entire team using an unapproved chat messenger to exchange files , notes , and even confidential conversations simply because it is faster and more convenient .
Left unchecked , the issues associated with shadow IT can rapidly compound over time . It introduces security threats into the networks and creates scalability issues . This makes it extremely challenging to maintain a balance between the IT ’ s mandate to manage enterprise risk and the business department ’ s constant requirement of productivity and efficiency .
Why shadow IT thrives
While shadow IT has been a decades old inconvenience for IT teams , the proliferation of sophisticated devices and smart applications in recent years has greatly exacerbated the issue , turning it into a considerable challenge . Thousands of employees , especially those in a remote work setup , may be exposed to security vulnerabilities that they know nothing about because they use apps and devices
38 INTELLIGENTCIO AFRICA www . intelligentcio . com