How orphaned applications are quietly fueling your shadow IT problem

Orphaned applications are unused software systems that remain running in an organization's network long after their original purpose has ended, often due to workforce changes or shifting business priorities. They create significant security and compliance risks because IT teams lose track of them, meaning updates are missed, access permissions remain active, and sensitive data may continue flowing through them without proper oversight. The source explains that traditional IT asset tracking methods fail to catch these hidden systems because they only record planning decisions rather than what's actually happening on the network right now.