Skip to content
Maskflare
Talk to usStart free trial
Menu

Shadow AI

Get Shadow AI Under Control Without Banning AI

Shadow AI is every AI tool people use for work without IT knowing about it: a personal ChatGPT account, a free transcription app, a browser assistant, an AI feature switched on inside a SaaS tool. It isn't malicious. People use what helps them get work done, and they paste in what they're working on, which is often customer data, contracts or code.

Banning AI rarely works. Usage moves to phones and home laptops, and the company loses the little visibility it had. The approach that holds up has four steps: discover what's in use, decide per app, guide people at the moment they're about to share something sensitive, and protect the data in the tools you allow.

Start free trial Discuss this use case
access path
  1. 01

    Request

  2. 02

    Policy check

  3. 03

    Approved path

Why the usual approach falls short

Network blocklists and CASB categories lag behind the hundreds of new AI apps, and they can't tell a personal ChatGPT account from your company workspace. Maskflare is built for the AI channel specifically: it knows the apps, the accounts and the data.

The Maskflare approach

Start in monitor mode. The Maskflare desktop agent builds an inventory of the AI apps used on managed devices, with users, upload volume and a risk score per app, without recording prompts or browsing. Then decide: approve the tools you want people to use, tolerate low-risk ones with a reminder, and block the rest with a pointer to the approved alternative. Allow your company ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini workspace and block personal accounts. In the approved apps, masking keeps personal data and secrets out of prompts and files, and warn-and-justify prompts coach people when something sensitive is about to go out.

Benefits

Discover

An inventory of every AI app in use on managed devices, with users, devices, first seen and upload volume.

Decide

Approved, tolerated or blocked per app, with a risk score built from vendor jurisdiction, training on your data and security posture.

Guide

Warn-and-justify prompts and short, branded messages that link to your AI policy and the approved alternative.

Protect

Personal data, secrets and customer records are masked in the approved apps before they reach the provider.

Prove it

A usage dashboard for leadership: adoption, share of traffic to approved apps, and sensitive data stopped per app.

Built on

Maskflare AI App Discovery & Control →Maskflare User Coaching →Maskflare Workforce →Maskflare Browser Protection →Maskflare Admin Console →

Understand the underlying risks

Frequently asked questions

What is shadow AI?

AI tools used for work without the IT or security team's knowledge or approval, such as personal ChatGPT accounts, free AI apps and AI features inside other software.

How do we find out which AI tools employees use?

Roll out the Maskflare desktop agent in monitor mode. Within days the console lists every AI app used on managed devices, with users, devices and upload volume, without recording prompts or browsing.

Should we block ChatGPT?

Usually not. Blocking pushes usage to personal devices. Approve one assistant, ideally a company workspace, mask sensitive data in it, block personal accounts and high-risk apps, and coach people with warn-and-justify prompts.

Is shadow AI discovery employee surveillance?

Maskflare records which AI app was used and how much was uploaded, never prompts or browsing history, and can show departments instead of names. Tell employees what's collected and why, and involve your works council where one exists.

How long does it take to see results?

The first apps appear within minutes of a device enrolling. A week of monitor mode is usually enough to make the first approve, tolerate and block decisions.

Does this help with the EU AI Act?

Yes, as one input. Article 4 asks organizations to ensure AI literacy among staff, and an inventory of AI tools in use is the starting point for that and for any AI risk assessment.

See it on your own data

Try Maskflare free.
Bring your hardest prompts.

28-day free trial or 10,000 requests, whichever comes first. Point one app at the gateway or enroll a few laptops,
and watch what gets masked. Or talk to us first.

Start free trial Talk to us