Shadow IT has been featured in the headlines for years, often as a massive headache for enterprise IT. Line of business managers swiping credit cards to pay for services outside IT's watchful eye created a scare in the industry, as did BYOD and the idea that employees would share corporate data through consumer file-sharing applications. At the same time, the use of consumer-grade collaboration and productivity applications in the SMB market has been seen as a benefit, as small companies that cannot afford expensive, enterprise software have gained access to cheap, effective tools.

But the sophistication of SMB IT has grown in recent years, and cybersecurity has become an issue that no organization can ignore. The time has come for SMBs to take shadow IT seriously and address the issue in a way that is inclusive to employees and meets the needs of the business. Here are seven tips from Paessler on how best to address shadow IT.