We all love apps. But not the shadow IT and SaaS sprawl they cause.

Apps make our work lives incredibly productive. But they increasingly cause chaos within fast-moving companies.

Why SaaS apps get out of control in fast-moving companies

SaaS sprawl and shadow IT are mainly driven by the following factors:

• Easy, Decentralized Access: One of the main reasons for apps getting out of control is the ease with which applications can be accessed. Teams choose their own solutions that best meet their specific needs. This is further accelerated by remote work and BYOD (Bring Your Own Device). While this has benefits in terms of productivity and flexibility, it also comes at a cost: a growing loss of control.
• Free or Freemium Models: Many SaaS applications offer free or freemium models that allow users to start using the software without any financial commitment or formal procurement process. These apps are often used before IT or management is even aware of their existence.
• Lack of suitable monitoring solutions: IT teams in fast-moving SMBs lack suitable solutions to get a hold of their employees’ apps. According to our data, SMBs on average have 2-3x more apps than they think they have.

Why shadow IT and SaaS sprawl are a significant security and compliance risk

• Security Risks: Shadow IT is a security risk, as IT departments cannot control applications they are not aware of. Unauthorized apps may not adhere to a company’s security standards. Data breaches or malware attacks can be the consequence. Also, there is the risk of a potential data loss: If an employee leaves the organization and their account is no longer accessible, all data stored in this account could be lost.
• Compliance Concerns: Regulations like GDPR, CCPA, and HIPAA require businesses to maintain strict control over their data handling practices. When employees use applications without permission, it becomes difficult to ensure that data is being handled with full data compliance. The same holds true for certifications like ISO 27001, SOC 1, and SOC 2. These certifications require companies to run a properly documented software access management process.
• Overspending: It’s super obvious, Shadow IT leads to overspending. No company likes that.
• Interoperability Issues: If everyone in a company brings their own apps, everyone also uses their own apps. This is leading to inefficiencies and potential data silos where information isn't readily shared or accessible across teams.

Effectively addressing SaaS sprawl and shadow IT

SaaS Access Management and SaaS Security solutions help you to gain back control over the apps your employees access:

• Visibility: These tools enable IT departments with visibility over all the SaaS applications being used within an organization.
• Access flows: They support IT teams to introduce approval flows, offering instant access for employees whilst avoiding uncontrolled access.
• Standardization: They can help an organization to standardize the SaaS applications that are used across the organization.
• Policies: SaaS Access Management and SaaS Security solutions can enforce automated policies, streamlining your processes.
• Access reviews: They enable IT teams to run employee access reviews, removing accounts that are no longer needed.