Dive Brief:

• IBM introduced Cloud Security Enforcer, a tool designed to help companies locate “shadow IT,” CIO reports.
• According to a recent IBM study, one-third of Fortune 1000 employees share and upload corporate data on third-party cloud apps, which could pose a security threat to corporate networks.
• Cloud Security Enforcer also analyzes real-time threat data from IBM’s global X-Force Exchange threat intelligence network.

Dive Insight:

Cloud Security Enforcer helps companies discover outside apps used by employees, including those used on their mobile devices. The tool can also enable the company to securely configure the apps employees want to use, so they can potentially continue using them but can do so more safely. It also allows a company to determine and enforce which of its data can or cannot be shared by employees using third-party cloud apps.

Shadow IT has become a growing problem among businesses, as employees can easily download a broad range of apps for use at work or remotely without informing the IT department. A recent study from Cisco found that the typical firm has 15 to 22 times more cloud applications running in the workplace than have been authorized by the IT department.