Is Your Business Training AI How To Hack You?

Artificial intelligence (AI) is generating tremendous buzz—and for very good reasons. Innovative platforms like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Microsoft Copilot are revolutionizing how businesses operate. Companies leverage these tools to craft content, engage with customers, draft emails, summarize meetings, and even assist with coding and managing spreadsheets.

While AI dramatically boosts efficiency and saves valuable time, it also carries risks if not handled carefully—especially concerning your organization's data security.

Even small businesses face significant vulnerabilities.

Understanding the Core Issue

The challenge isn't AI technology itself but how it's applied. Employees who input sensitive information into public AI platforms risk exposing that data, as these tools may store, analyze, or use it to train future AI models. This puts confidential and regulated information at risk without anyone realizing it.

For example, in 2023, Samsung engineers accidentally leaked proprietary source code into ChatGPT. The incident was so severe that Samsung banned public AI tools company-wide, as reported by Tom's Hardware.

Imagine a similar scenario in your workplace—an employee pastes client financial or medical records into ChatGPT seeking a summary, unaware of the privacy dangers. In moments, sensitive data becomes exposed.

Emerging Threat: Prompt Injection Attacks

Beyond accidental leaks, cybercriminals are exploiting advanced tactics like prompt injection. They embed malicious commands within emails, transcripts, PDFs, or even YouTube captions. When AI tools process this content, they can be manipulated into revealing confidential data or performing unauthorized actions.

Simply put, the AI unknowingly aids attackers in compromising your data.

Why Small Businesses Are Particularly at Risk

Most small businesses lack oversight on AI usage. Employees often adopt AI tools independently, with good intentions but without clear policies. Many mistakenly believe these AI platforms function like enhanced search engines and don't realize that sharing sensitive data can lead to permanent exposure.

Furthermore, few companies have established guidelines or training programs to educate staff on safe AI practices.

Take Action Now: Protect Your Business

You don't have to avoid AI altogether, but you must manage its use responsibly.

Start with these four essential steps:

1. Develop a clear AI usage policy.
Specify approved tools, define what data must never be shared, and designate a point of contact for questions.

2. Train your team thoroughly.
Educate employees on the risks of public AI tools and explain how threats like prompt injection operate.

3. Choose secure, enterprise-grade platforms.
Encourage use of trusted solutions like Microsoft Copilot that provide enhanced data privacy and compliance controls.

4. Monitor and control AI tool usage.
Keep track of which AI tools are in use and consider restricting access to public AI platforms on company devices if necessary.

Final Thoughts

AI is transforming the business landscape permanently. Organizations that adopt safe and informed AI practices will thrive, while those ignoring the risks expose themselves to hackers, regulatory breaches, and potentially devastating consequences. Just a few careless keystrokes can jeopardize your entire operation.

Let's discuss how to safeguard your company’s AI usage. We’ll help you craft a robust, secure AI policy and protect your data without hindering productivity. Call us at (949) 396-1100 or click here to schedule your 15-Minute Discovery Call today.