Shadow AI and Shadow SaaS Risks?

A Next DLP survey (conducted at RSA Conference 2024 and Infosecurity Europe 2024) has revealed how the rise of ‘Shadow SaaS’ and ‘Shadow AI’ may be putting businesses at risk of data loss, lack of visibility, and data breaches. 

What Are Shadow SaaS and Shadow AI? 

Shadow SaaS refers to the use of software-as-a-service (SaaS) applications within an organisation without explicit approval from the IT department. Similarly, Shadow AI involves the deployment of AI tools and solutions without official oversight. The issue for businesses is that these shadow technologies often bypass the stringent security protocols and oversight that sanctioned IT solutions are subjected to, thereby creating potential vulnerabilities.