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With ChatGPT and other AI tools embedded in our daily workflows, the biggest cyber risk in your firm might not be a hacker; it is more likely a well-intended employee.
If you’re using the free version of an AI tool, like ChatGPT, anything you enter is almost certainly being used to train future versions of that product. That means a seemingly innocuous request like “Summarise this spreadsheet of client complaints” could result in confidential data becoming part of a public model. It’s a new frontier of risk, and most firms aren’t prepared.
Your employees are already using AI tools like ChatGPT and Google Gemini. Here’s what that means for your firm’s security—and what you should be doing to protect it.
AI tools are marketed as private assistants, but most free-to-use models aren’t designed with enterprise-grade privacy in mind. When staff use public LLMs to analyse sensitive client data or internal documents, that data can be absorbed into the tool’s broader training set – and resurface unpredictably in the future.
Here are some real-world examples of how LLMs create security risks and liabilities in a work context:
The tools are powerful – but not neutral. Without proper safeguards, they magnify human error, not eliminate it.
If you’re in financial services, legal, or professional sectors, you know how high the stakes are. A data leak doesn’t just harm your clients – it invites scrutiny from regulators, damages your firm’s reputation, and potentially triggers costly investigations.
The problem is that most mid-sized firms have little visibility into how staff are using AI. There are no clear policies, no monitoring, and no guidance. Without controls, even well-intentioned use can create risks.
A complete yet concise go-to guide for protecting your firm against AI-related security risks.
Are the main concerns data leakage, AI-generated content, or automated decisions that might create regulatory risk?
Show real examples of AI misuse and the consequences. Education is the most effective defence against accidental misuse.
Define what tools are allowed, what data can be used, and where to go with questions.
Use DLP (data loss prevention) and endpoint monitoring to detect unauthorised uploads or unapproved AI tools.
Review which departments are using AI and how. Update controls as the tech evolves.
AI tools are only going to become more embedded in how we work. That’s not a bad thing. But if you’re not proactively managing how your people use them, you’re leaving the door open to preventable risk.
FoxTech can help you build sensible, scalable AI policies that reduce exposure while supporting innovation. If you’re unsure where your vulnerabilities are, start with a simple question: “Could your team be using ChatGPT in ways that put client data at risk?”
If the answer is “I’m not sure,” it’s time for a review.
One of our security experts will survey your digital perimeter and identify where AI might be putting your firm at risk.
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