Shadow IT:

Shadow IT is hardware or software within an enterprise that is not supported by the organization’s central IT department. Although the label itself is neutral, the term often carries a negative connotation because it implies that the IT department has not approved the technology or doesn’t even know that employees are using it.

In the past, shadow IT was often the result of an impatient employee's desire for immediate access to hardware, software or a specific web service without going through the necessary steps to obtain the technology through corporate channels. ,
With theconsumerization of IT and cloud computing, the meaning has expanded to include personal technology that employees use at work (see BYOD policy) or niche technology that meets the unique needs of a particular business division and is supported by athird-party service provider or in-house group, instead of by corporate IT.

Shadow IT is used to describe IT solutions and systems created and applied inside companies and organizations without their authorization. This is considered a vital foundation for technological advancement and innovation because these efforts can become potential prototypes for IT solutions that are approved in the future. Even though these solutions can help in the advancement of IT innovations, they may not conform to the company’s requirements in terms of reliability, documentation, control, security and more.