iso27diy-corp/Corpus/Information Security/Surveys on Shadow IT usage.md

Asked Perplexity.com on 28 april 2025:

Are there sources to support the following claim: "The average employee uses 5-20 apps in their work that are not mandated by the IT dept, and are not behind SSO"

Yes, the search results provide relevant data points to support parts of this claim, though not the exact 5-20 range:

1. App proliferation:

   • Average app usage per employee has risen significantly, with desk workers now using 11 apps (up from 6 in 2019)5.

   • Shadow IT prevalence: Over one-third of enterprise apps are classified as shadow IT (non-IT-sanctioned tools)5, suggesting employees frequently adopt apps without formal approval.

2. SSO limitations:
   While the search results don’t quantify how many apps lack SSO integration, Okta’s ecosystem (a major SSO provider) is mentioned as a common enterprise tool6. However, the rapid growth in app counts (e.g., 255 appsfor mid-market companies4) implies many tools operate outside centralized authentication systems.

3. Supporting inferences:

   • App overload is explicitly cited as a productivity drain, with employees switching between 13 apps 30 times daily3.

   • User frustration with app sprawl (e.g., 26% of workers report inefficiency due to app overload3) indirectly supports the idea that employees adopt non-mandated tools to fill workflow gaps.

Conclusion: The data confirms rising app usage and shadow IT prevalence, aligning with the claim’s premise. While the exact 5-20 range isn’t directly cited, the growth from 6 to 11 mandated apps5 and the high shadow IT rate5 suggest non-mandated app usage likely falls within or exceeds this range. The SSO aspect, though not quantified, is plausible given the scale of app sprawl45.

Key sources:

• Gartner: 11 apps per desk worker5.

• Zylo: 255+ apps in mid-market tech stacks4.

• Asana: 13-app daily switching3.

Citations:

1. https://firstup.io/blog/14-employee-mobile-usage-statistics-company-cant-ignore/
2. https://www.worktechacademy.com/the-very-real-problem-of-app-overload-in-the-workplace/
3. https://www.ciodive.com/news/app-switching-enterprise-asana-report/594233/
4. https://chiefmartec.com/2023/04/how-big-is-your-tech-stack-really-heres-the-latest-data/
5. https://www.ciodive.com/news/gartner-digital-worker-tools-IT/649844/
6. https://www.reddit.com/r/privacy/comments/pzyy17/my_employer_is_forcing_everyone_to_download/
7. https://thebusinessdive.com/productivity-apps-statistics
8. https://www.strongdm.com/blog/small-business-cyber-security-statistics

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Answer from Perplexity: pplx.ai/share