GITNUXREPORT 2025

Shadow It Statistics

Most organizations face security risks and management challenges from Shadow IT activities.

Jannik Linder

Co-Founder of Gitnux, specialized in content and tech since 2016.

First published: April 29, 2025

Our Commitment to Accuracy

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Statistic 1

66% of companies feel that Shadow IT reduces IT department efficiency

Statistic 2

53% of CIOs say Shadow IT impacts their ability to enforce security policies effectively

Statistic 3

36% of organizations report that Shadow IT increases the complexity of their security posture

Statistic 4

75% of organizations have a formal policy around Shadow IT, but only 50% actively monitor it

Statistic 5

63% of organizations have increased awareness campaigns to curb Shadow IT

Statistic 6

52% of organizations plan to implement more rigorous Shadow IT policies next year

Statistic 7

50% of organizations have experienced security breaches due to Shadow IT

Statistic 8

55% of companies have experienced data breaches involving Shadow IT tools

Statistic 9

58% of IT managers are concerned about Shadow IT compromising sensitive data

Statistic 10

40% of corporate data stored in Shadow IT solutions is unencrypted

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41% of security breaches linked to Shadow IT are caused by data exfiltration

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70% of IT professionals believe Shadow IT increases organizational security vulnerabilities

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45% of employees use unsanctioned applications for work purposes

Statistic 14

65% of organizations lack visibility into Shadow IT activities

Statistic 15

The average organization has 25+ Shadow IT applications in use

Statistic 16

80% of employees believe they are not putting company data at risk by using unauthorized apps

Statistic 17

60% of organizations find Shadow IT to be a significant obstacle to compliance efforts

Statistic 18

Approximately 30% of organizations cannot identify all the Shadow IT tools in use

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42% of Shadow IT tools originate from cloud storage services

Statistic 20

65% of enterprises anticipate increased Shadow IT activity due to remote work trends

Statistic 21

54% of employees admit to installing unauthorized software to improve productivity

Statistic 22

67% of organizations are exploring ways to better detect Shadow IT

Statistic 23

52% of IT teams spend more than 20 hours a month managing Shadow IT issues

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35% of Shadow IT applications are used for collaboration purposes

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72% of IT security professionals believe Shadow IT hinders cybersecurity compliance efforts

Statistic 26

47% of organizations are considering deploying endpoint detection to control Shadow IT

Statistic 27

55% of organizations do not have a centralized inventory of all IT assets, including Shadow IT tools

Statistic 28

49% of Shadow IT apps are intended for project management purposes

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27% of organizations have experienced a compliance violation due to Shadow IT

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58% of organizations believe Shadow IT is inevitable with current digital transformation strategies

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48% of organizations actively work to remediate Shadow IT risks monthly

Statistic 32

34% of employees use personal devices to access Shadow IT solutions

Statistic 33

29% of Shadow IT activities are solely related to file sharing

Statistic 34

80% of organizations lack full control over Shadow IT software

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62% of security incidents in organizations are linked to Shadow IT

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33% of organizations report difficulty in removing Shadow IT without disrupting user productivity

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77% of organizations identify Shadow IT as a major barrier to data governance

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44% of organizations have increased investments in Shadow IT management tools in recent year

Statistic 39

53% of organizations think Shadow IT is a necessary evil to foster innovation

Statistic 40

42% of Shadow IT tools are used without formal approval

Statistic 41

59% of IT departments report challenges in integrating Shadow IT into official IT infrastructure

Statistic 42

23% of employees state they use Shadow IT because official tools are too restrictive

Statistic 43

68% of organizations consider Shadow IT a significant security threat

Statistic 44

80% of organizations have no formal process to audit Shadow IT applications regularly

Statistic 45

51% of CIOs believe that Shadow IT will continue to grow over the next five years

Statistic 46

69% of employees use consumer-grade apps for work tasks, often without IT approval

Statistic 47

57% of organizations admit they underreport Shadow IT activities

Statistic 48

60% of organizations have a dedicated team for Shadow IT detection and management

Statistic 49

29% of Shadow IT projects are initiated by line-of-business departments independently of IT

Statistic 50

48% of organizations have experienced delays in deploying official IT solutions due to Shadow IT

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Sources

Our Reports have been cited by:

Trust Badges - Publications that have cited our reports

Key Highlights

50% of organizations have experienced security breaches due to Shadow IT
70% of IT professionals believe Shadow IT increases organizational security vulnerabilities
45% of employees use unsanctioned applications for work purposes
65% of organizations lack visibility into Shadow IT activities
55% of companies have experienced data breaches involving Shadow IT tools
The average organization has 25+ Shadow IT applications in use
80% of employees believe they are not putting company data at risk by using unauthorized apps
60% of organizations find Shadow IT to be a significant obstacle to compliance efforts
Approximately 30% of organizations cannot identify all the Shadow IT tools in use
58% of IT managers are concerned about Shadow IT compromising sensitive data
40% of corporate data stored in Shadow IT solutions is unencrypted
75% of organizations have a formal policy around Shadow IT, but only 50% actively monitor it
42% of Shadow IT tools originate from cloud storage services

Did you know that over half of organizations face security breaches linked to Shadow IT, with 50% of companies experiencing incidents and 70% believing it heightens vulnerabilities, highlighting a growing yet often overlooked risk in today’s digital workplaces?

Impact on Business and Security

66% of companies feel that Shadow IT reduces IT department efficiency
53% of CIOs say Shadow IT impacts their ability to enforce security policies effectively
36% of organizations report that Shadow IT increases the complexity of their security posture

Impact on Business and Security Interpretation

While Shadow IT may seem like a clandestine shortcut, these statistics reveal it as a disruptive force that undermines IT efficiency, compromises security enforcement, and exponentially complicates organizational cybersecurity, highlighting the urgent need for transparent, collaborative governance.

Organizational Policies and Awareness

75% of organizations have a formal policy around Shadow IT, but only 50% actively monitor it
63% of organizations have increased awareness campaigns to curb Shadow IT
52% of organizations plan to implement more rigorous Shadow IT policies next year

Organizational Policies and Awareness Interpretation

While three-quarters of organizations have formal Shadow IT policies, the fact that only half actively monitor them and over half plan to tighten restrictions suggests a cautious recognition that turning a blind eye to Shadow IT could turn into a costly game of hide and seek.

Security Incidents and Breaches

50% of organizations have experienced security breaches due to Shadow IT
55% of companies have experienced data breaches involving Shadow IT tools
58% of IT managers are concerned about Shadow IT compromising sensitive data
40% of corporate data stored in Shadow IT solutions is unencrypted
41% of security breaches linked to Shadow IT are caused by data exfiltration

Security Incidents and Breaches Interpretation

These Shadow IT statistics unveil a cybersecurity nightmare where nearly half of organizations unknowingly gamble with unencrypted data and the ominous threat of data exfiltration, highlighting the urgent need for better visibility and control over hidden infrastructure before shadows turn into full-blown breaches.

Shadow IT Prevalence and Usage

70% of IT professionals believe Shadow IT increases organizational security vulnerabilities
45% of employees use unsanctioned applications for work purposes
65% of organizations lack visibility into Shadow IT activities
The average organization has 25+ Shadow IT applications in use
80% of employees believe they are not putting company data at risk by using unauthorized apps
60% of organizations find Shadow IT to be a significant obstacle to compliance efforts
Approximately 30% of organizations cannot identify all the Shadow IT tools in use
42% of Shadow IT tools originate from cloud storage services
65% of enterprises anticipate increased Shadow IT activity due to remote work trends
54% of employees admit to installing unauthorized software to improve productivity
67% of organizations are exploring ways to better detect Shadow IT
52% of IT teams spend more than 20 hours a month managing Shadow IT issues
35% of Shadow IT applications are used for collaboration purposes
72% of IT security professionals believe Shadow IT hinders cybersecurity compliance efforts
47% of organizations are considering deploying endpoint detection to control Shadow IT
55% of organizations do not have a centralized inventory of all IT assets, including Shadow IT tools
49% of Shadow IT apps are intended for project management purposes
27% of organizations have experienced a compliance violation due to Shadow IT
58% of organizations believe Shadow IT is inevitable with current digital transformation strategies
48% of organizations actively work to remediate Shadow IT risks monthly
34% of employees use personal devices to access Shadow IT solutions
29% of Shadow IT activities are solely related to file sharing
80% of organizations lack full control over Shadow IT software
62% of security incidents in organizations are linked to Shadow IT
33% of organizations report difficulty in removing Shadow IT without disrupting user productivity
77% of organizations identify Shadow IT as a major barrier to data governance
44% of organizations have increased investments in Shadow IT management tools in recent year
53% of organizations think Shadow IT is a necessary evil to foster innovation
42% of Shadow IT tools are used without formal approval
59% of IT departments report challenges in integrating Shadow IT into official IT infrastructure
23% of employees state they use Shadow IT because official tools are too restrictive
68% of organizations consider Shadow IT a significant security threat
80% of organizations have no formal process to audit Shadow IT applications regularly
51% of CIOs believe that Shadow IT will continue to grow over the next five years
69% of employees use consumer-grade apps for work tasks, often without IT approval
57% of organizations admit they underreport Shadow IT activities
60% of organizations have a dedicated team for Shadow IT detection and management
29% of Shadow IT projects are initiated by line-of-business departments independently of IT
48% of organizations have experienced delays in deploying official IT solutions due to Shadow IT

Shadow IT Prevalence and Usage Interpretation

With over 70% of IT professionals warning that Shadow IT amplifies security vulnerabilities, yet nearly half of employees unaware of its risks and a staggering 80% of organizations lacking proper oversight, it's clear that in the digital dance of innovation versus control, shadowy applications are both an inevitable byproduct and an ongoing threat to compliance, requiring a proactive strategy that balances security with business agility.