---
description: Understand unauthorized IT usage risks.
title: What is Shadow IT?
image: https://developers.cloudflare.com/og-docs.png
---

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# What is Shadow IT?

Last updated Aug 24, 2026|Copy as Markdown|[View as Markdown](https://docs-durable-objects-instance-replaced-errors.previews.developers.cloudflare.com/learning-paths/holistic-ai-security/concepts/shadow-it/index.md)|[Agent setup](https://docs-durable-objects-instance-replaced-errors.previews.developers.cloudflare.com/agent-setup/)

Shadow IT is the use of IT hardware, software, or services by employees or departments without the knowledge or approval of the company's IT and security teams. This can include anything from cloud services and apps to hardware, like personal laptops or servers.

The biggest driver of shadow IT today is the widespread adoption of cloud services, especially software-as-a-service (SaaS). Employees are accustomed to downloading and using apps to boost productivity, but this behavior often bypasses traditional IT oversight, creating a significant security blind spot.

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