AI tools are becoming an integral part of the workforce in organizations for their day-to-day activities. Organizations also encourage the use of these tools as they enhance employee productivity, thereby increasing the overall efficiency of the business.However, as organizations embrace these tools, they pose significant risks associated with privacy and security.
Here are some potential use cases within each department and their associated risks.
Human Resources Department
- The HR team uses Generative AI tool to analyze employee data, including Personally Identifiable Information (PII) & Sensitive Personally Identifiable Information (SPII), leading to potential privacy breaches when such sensitive information is exposed
Software Engineering
- Developers leverage Generative AI to analyze and fix code, leading to the viloation of IP (Intellectual Property Violation)
- Business Analysts uses Generative AI to draft documents based on Product Requirement Specifications provided by clients, which may include proprietary information, thus leading to IP violation
Sales & Marketing
- Sales executives deploy AI tool to compile sales forecast reports, inputting the company’s sales data, which could expose sensitive business information
- Marketing professionals use Generative AI to craft brochures and datasheets for upcoming products, potentially revealing confidential product information
Finance
- Finance executives employ AI tools for financial analysis and report generation, feeding in confidential financial data of the company, which leads to exposure of sensitive financial data
Procurement
- Procurement executives input data into AI tool for vendor comparison, inadvertently including PII of vendors, which poses a risk of privacy violation
Mitigating these Risks
Organizations should take a comprehensive approach to mitigate these risks.
- Establish Policies
Security policies must be established with clear directives on the usage of applications like ChatGPT. Additionally, guidelines should be published to assist employees in the responsible usage of these tools.
- Data Classification
Implement a robust data classification mechanism to enable employees to distinguish between PII and Non-PII data. This classification bring more clarity while handling the data.
- Implement Technical Controls
Access control and authentication measures are critical to ensure that only authorized personnel can access tools such as ChatGPT, safeguarding against unauthorized access and potential breaches.
- Perform Risk/Impact Assessment
Conduct thorough risk/impact assessments before granting project access to ChatGPT or similar tools. These assessments should consider factors including the nature of data (PII, SPII), compliance with regulatory requirements (e.g., GDPR), and adherence to contractual obligations.
- Awareness Training
Comprehensive training sessions should be provided to educate employees on the responsible use of AI tools. Moving beyond talking power-points, training should incorporate risk simulations to prepare employees for real-world scenarios, empowering them to make informed decisions in their daily activities.
The AI landscape is evolving, and so are the organizational security policies and practices to address these challenges. Practically, it would not be feasible to turn a blind eye to these tools considering their advantages.Hence, organizations need to regularly revisit the risks to address these challenges.
