Imagine your company invests in an automation solution, but part of the team decides to use unauthorized tools to speed up processes. It might seem harmless, but this behavior—known as Shadow IT—can pose serious risks to security, productivity, and the governance of technology projects.
In this article, you’ll learn what Shadow IT is, why it happens, the risks involved, and most importantly, how to prevent it—especially in environments focused on automation.
Learn more: Shadow IT: what you don’t see can compromise your results
What is Shadow IT?
Shadow IT refers to the use of technologies, systems, tools, or IT services without the knowledge or approval of the information technology department. This includes everything from productivity apps to automation tools, cloud storage, and management software.
Although often driven by good intentions—such as speed or convenience—Shadow IT undermines data security, disrupts process standardization, and reduces visibility for IT and automation teams.
Why does Shadow IT happen?
Some of the main reasons include:
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Lack of agility in official solutions;
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Bureaucratic barriers to getting tools approved;
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Lack of awareness about security risks and policies;
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Pressure to deliver fast results.
These factors often lead individuals or entire teams to seek out their own tools, creating a parallel network of systems and automations beyond the control of the CoE (Center of Excellence) or IT department.
Python scripts without governance
In many organizations, developers write Python scripts to automate internal tasks. However, without proper governance, these scripts can become a source of Shadow IT.
Fragmented processes and unmonitored automations directly impact the performance of critical systems. Moreover, Python scripts running under the radar prevent visibility and efficient management of automation workflows.
When decentralized solutions take hold, the result is wasted resources—leading to higher infrastructure costs and unnecessary spending on tools.
What are the risks of Shadow IT for automation?
In hyperautomation environments or decentralized initiatives, Shadow IT becomes even more critical. The main risks include:
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Leaks of sensitive data
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Lack of compliance with regulations (such as LGPD or GDPR)
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Redundancy in processes and resource waste
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Low traceability of automations
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Difficulty integrating systems
In other words, what starts as a quick fix can quickly turn into a costly and complex problem.
How to prevent Shadow IT strategically
Avoiding Shadow IT doesn’t mean removing autonomy from teams—it means building a culture of collaboration, security, and governance. Here are some proven best practices:
1. Establish clear automation governance
Define who is responsible for validating, documenting, and maintaining created automations. This prevents tool sprawl and ensures all solutions follow company standards.
2. Use a centralized automation platform
Adopting a robust automation platform with orchestration, version control, and monitoring capabilities is essential. Platforms like BotCity allow you to control and audit all automations in one place—reducing risk and increasing visibility.
3. Involve teams from the start
Give teams the opportunity to share their needs and automation ideas. Involving them early in the process prevents them from turning to unofficial tools.
4. Create a shared automation repository
Having a standardized repository with bots, documentation, development guidelines, and templates promotes collaboration and prevents duplicated effort.
5. Provide training and ongoing support
Offer regular training on best practices, risks, and official tools to align teams around a common goal: automation with security and governance.
How LG Electronics Brazil structured governance and avoided Shadow IT
LG Electronics Brazil faced the challenge of scaling its automation initiatives while maintaining control, security, and alignment across different teams. To overcome this obstacle—and prevent the rise of parallel solutions (a key symptom of Shadow IT)—the company adopted BotCity Orchestrator as the central pillar of its automation governance strategy.
With the platform, LG achieved the following:
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Centralized the management of automations in a single, auditable environment
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Facilitated collaboration between developers and business units
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Ensured traceability, versioning, and access control
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Standardized practices and workflows
The ability to monitor and manage bot operations in real time—avoiding failures and ensuring consistent automation delivery—was one of the key differentiators.
Luís Arantes Filho, DX Coordinator at LG Electronics, explains:
“We currently monitor 60 bots in real time with full governance. If any bot encounters a problem, an alert is triggered instantly, allowing us to identify and resolve the issue immediately.”
Avoid Shadow IT with BotCity
Avoiding Shadow IT requires foresight, structure, and the right tools. The more transparent and accessible your automation management is, the lower the risk of ungoverned solutions emerging.
If you’re looking to accelerate your automation journey with security, control, and scalability, explore how the BotCity platform can transform automation governance within your organization.
