Security Division

Shadow AI Audit for Businesses Using AI Without Clear Controls

A Shadow AI Audit finds where employees use AI tools without clear approval, policy, or oversight. The goal is visibility: approved versus unapproved tools, data sensitivity, department risk, and a practical action plan.

Shadow AI risk map workshop showing unapproved AI usage across business departments

Readiness scope

01NIS2 / Cyberbeveiligingswet readiness
02AI security audit
03Shadow AI risk map
04Data leakage review
05Evidence pack and roadmap
01

What shadow AI is

Shadow AI is unmanaged AI usage inside the company. It can be well-intentioned: employees use ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini, Claude, AI writing tools, browser extensions, automation platforms, or personal accounts to move faster. The risk is that sensitive data and business decisions may move outside controlled systems.

02

How we find it

  • Staff survey approach with clear questions about tools, use cases, and data types
  • Department risk mapping for sales, support, finance, engineering, HR, operations, and leadership
  • Data sensitivity scoring for client data, personal data, contracts, code, credentials, pricing, and strategy
  • Approved versus unapproved AI tool inventory
  • Workflow review for prompts, files, browser tools, automations, and output handling
03

What you receive

You receive a shadow AI heat map, risk register, data sensitivity view, approved/unapproved tools list, immediate control actions, and an AI usage action plan that can feed into broader AI policy and NIS2 readiness work.

Deliverables

What you receive.

01

Shadow AI heat map

02

Department risk map

03

AI tool inventory

04

Data sensitivity scoring

05

Risk register

06

Approved tool recommendations

07

Action plan

Process

Readiness process.

01

Scope & Intake

02

AI and Systems Inventory

03

Risk Review

04

Policy and Evidence Gap Analysis

05

Report and Roadmap

06

Executive Review Call

07

Optional Remediation Support

FAQ

Questions buyers ask.

What is shadow AI?

Shadow AI is AI tool usage that happens without clear approval, governance, security review, or visibility.

Why is shadow AI risky?

It can expose client data, personal data, confidential business information, code, contracts, and decisions to tools or accounts that were not reviewed.

How do you find unapproved AI usage?

We combine intake, staff survey, stakeholder interviews, tool inventory, workflow review, and evidence checks.

Do you interview staff?

Yes, when included in scope. Interviews help distinguish useful AI adoption from risky behavior.

Is the audit anonymous?

It can be designed to use anonymous survey inputs where that improves honesty and organizational trust. Final reporting focuses on risk patterns, not blame.

What do we receive after the audit?

A heat map, risk register, department-level findings, approved/unapproved tool view, and action plan.

Build the evidence before pressure arrives.

Start with a scope review. We will identify the highest-risk systems, AI workflows, evidence gaps, and the fastest practical path to a useful readiness report.