Generative AI promises to deliver many business benefits, but it also comes with risks. Chief among them is the risk that sensitive data will be exposed. Research by LayerX found that 6 percent of workers enter sensitive information into gen AI prompts, with 4 percent doing so weekly. According to recent reports, up to 55 percent of data loss incidents involve users entering sensitive information into gen AI tools.
Many companies are worried that they might violate confidentiality agreements, privacy rules or regulatory mandates by using gen AI. Some organizations have gone so far as to ban gen AI use. However, most organizations are looking for ways to take advantage of gen AI’s benefits safely.
The first step is to set policies regarding the use of gen AI and establish and enforce robust data governance. Employees need training so they understand the risks and the importance of following policies. There are also security tools that can help reduce risk. Cloud access security brokers (CASBs) can control gen AI use, and data loss prevention (DLP) tools can minimize the risk of data exposure.
The Role of CASBs in Safe Gen AI Use
A CASB is a hardware appliance or software tool that sits between an organization’s on-premises IT infrastructure and the cloud. It provides visibility into traffic moving to and from cloud applications and enforces the organization’s security policies across cloud services.
One of the primary uses of a CASB is shadow IT control. A CASB enables organizations to identify gen AI usage and monitor activity to ensure compliance with security policies.
CASBs also help control access to cloud applications and data. In the on-premises IT environment, organizations establish policies related to the users and devices that are allowed to access resources. CASBs make it possible to extend those policies to the cloud. Instead of blocking all access to gen AI, organizations have more granular control. They can allow specific users or groups to access gen AI applications.
How DLP Helps Prevent Gen AI Data Exposure
As the name suggests, DLP tools reduce the risk of data loss or exposure. They enable organizations to classify sensitive information and prevent it from being shared in ways that could put the organization at risk. DLP solutions also help companies discover, monitor and manage sensitive data in flight, at rest or in use across a wide range of on-premises and cloud-based resources. Organizations can set data-handling policies according to their business needs and regulatory requirements, and the DLP solution will enforce them across the IT environment.
With DLP, organizations can prevent users from sending sensitive information to gen AI prompts. Best-in-class tools can detect personally identifiable information, financial records, intellectual property and other types of sensitive data. The DLP tool can simply block users from sending that data or pop up alerts and automated coaching messages to help the user understand the risk.
Complementary Solutions
Both CASBs and DLP help control how data is used but go about it in different ways. CASBs focus on the use of cloud services, including unsanctioned shadow IT applications. DLP addresses the use of data in sanctioned applications, whether on-premises or in the cloud. However, DLP can’t control the use of unsanctioned applications that are not integrated into its data-handling policies. Organizations need both solutions to manage gen AI use effectively.
How Technologent Can Help
Technologent has teams dedicated to AI and cybersecurity. Through our multi-disciplined approach, we help customers take advantage of the benefits of AI while avoiding security and privacy risks. Let’s discuss your organization’s plans for AI, identify some use cases and whiteboard a strategy that will create competitive advantages.
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