What is ‘Shadow IT’?
Shadow IT refers to the various web tools informally in use within most organisations. These tools are often chosen without reference to IT or to management in general.
They are often used for all the very best reasons. Your colleagues have work to do, and these tools help them, so they get used. You might know about some because there is a subscription charge, but others might be free.
These tools can be anything from simply keeping lists of tasks to do, sharing information or managing workflows, providing newsletter lists, or recruiting staff. Its endless.
There’s all sorts of web pages out there that your people will be finding useful and will be using.
The question is, do you know what is being used on your behalf?
Even more importantly, do you know who’s got access to them? As your staff come and go, do you know to change passwords or reset user accounts to make sure that no one who has left you (maybe even gone to a competitor) is still able to access your confidential data?
Shadow IT is one of the largest threats to data privacy in organisations today. It’s not necessarily because these sites are going to be hacked, although it’s always possible, but it’s because if you don’t know the tools are in use, then there is no way that you can manage them!
The first step to maintaining this data is to identify them, and that’s why you need new tools that are cloud focused.
If you’re still using the same old security tools that you used prior to the cloud, then you are simply not keeping up and we need to talk!
Here’s a story about what happens if you don’t have this under control: Why you need to know all the cloud services that your organisation uses – IT Solutions and Managed Services (outsource.co.nz/)
Shadow IT is part of our 10-point cyber-security check list
While there is no single layer of technology that can guarantee you will be safe from hackers, you can reduce your risk by adding layers of protection. How many of our 10-point check list are in place for you?
Advanced Warning – Microsoft 365 Price Changes
New pricing for Microsoft 365 | Microsoft 365 Blog We wanted to give you a heads-up to expect a price increase for Microsoft 365 (Office 365) from May next year 2022. When you consider the additional functionality they’ve included, this is fair enough – the challenge...
Preparing for a sudden Covid19 Delta Lockdown in New Zealand
Every week that we don't go into lockdown seems like a blessing. It can only be a matter of time before NZ is thrown back to a tight, restrictive lockdown. If, as we read yesterday, every Covid case coming in through the New Zealand border right now is infected with...
Cyber-war Seminar
Stories from the Cyber-war The simple reality is that cyber-crime is now a mega-business. The cost and effort to combat it grows all the time. "Is it worth it?" Good question. Every organisation needs to choose a level of security and resulting cost, effort and...
Law firm Tip : Don’t lose Word Documents if you use Infinity Law
Be careful with what you delete. We're proud to be one of NZ's foremost IT support businesses for law firms. That means we run across common legal software all the time, and one of the most common programs we see is InfinityLaw Recently we encountered an hidden issue...
Working in the community
Helping you help others Our business purpose statement is to help our community by helping the organisations within it achieve their goals. We do that with IT that is reliable and more importantly, does the job they need to make them successful. Occasionally...
Highlights of Microsoft Inspire – Day Two
It's not the same doing conferences remotely. Nevertheless, it's important to keep us current with our industry and Day Two of Microsoft Inspire was no different, We've already posted about day one. Day two highlighted the application of the latest Microsoft...
How do you manage IT properly without an IT Manager?
IT Management Made Easy Technology has the potential to greatly enhance not only how your staff communicate and collaborate with each other, but also enhance how they deliver services to the clients they work with. IT Management as a Service (ITMaaS) is Kinetics...
Highlights of Microsoft Inspire – Day One
"Live from .. not Las Vegas .." Microsoft Inspire is their annual showcase business event for their IT partners like Kinetics. We’ve been attending this conference in the US for many years. Normally we’d be in the US this week to learn, share, network and grow with...
What you need to know about the massive global ransomware cyber-attack over the weekend
The Risk Is Real. Over the weekend, thousands of businesses were caught up in a global cyber-attack that is being blamed on a Russian hacker group called Revil. It is disappointing when geo-politics impacts everyday business, and the reports talk about President Biden...
(yet) another reason Why paying ransomware demands hurts. (The FBI agrees)
We don't negotiate with terrorists Recently, we asked the question if organisations should pay ransomware demands. There is a balance between desperation and the uneasy knowledge that you might be funding further criminal attacks on the community. We’ve just read a...