Small & Mid-Sized Business
An AI Security Imperative: No More Shadows
Security sits high on the concern list but late in the rollout. Small and mid-sized companies are adopting AI faster than they organize, govern or secure it.
AI Attacks Don't Skip Smaller Companies
LATEST RESEARCH SHOWS…
Attackers use AI to move faster and reach more victims at once. Smaller teams, with fewer people watching, feel it first.
45%
Shadow AI On Work Devices
Of workers now use AI on work devices, up from 15% in a year. Most reach it through personal accounts.
$893M
AI-Enabled Fraud
Reported 2025 losses in complaints involving AI, from deepfake voices to cloned identities in payment scams.
56%
Less Skill, More Danger
Of attackers using AI are now rated medium risk or higher. AI is closing the gap between skill and impact.
$670K
A Breach Cost You Can't Afford
Added to the average breach cost at organizations with high levels of shadow AI.
The AI Security Gap
Traditional cybersecurity protects your systems. Your current tools still matter. There is simply a new layer to secure.
Your systems
Where AI risk lives
- 01Human or agentWho is asking
- 02PromptWhat they ask for
- 03ModelWhat interprets it
- 04ResponseWhat comes back
- 05ActionWhat happens next
You're On The Road Without A Map
Anyone can start using an AI tool with a credit card or a browser tab, so AI often has no single owner. A simple charter fixes that, one AI use case at a time.
AI Decision Authority Charter
- One named owner, even if they wear several hats
- A clock for who can pause it, and how fast
- Decisions made before the incident, not during it
Where Are The Humans?
Human risk factors are often forgotten in the race to implement AI. Know what to plan for to keep your people engaged and safe in AI adoption.
Pressure
Targets assume AI-level speed
Shadow AI
People use tools quietly, off-policy
Incidents
Leaks and near-misses go unreported
Crackdown
Bans, monitoring and blame
Less trust
Candor falls and hiding grows
Bring Shadow AI Into The Open
Offer approved tools and clear guardrails, so people have no reason to hide.
Make Reporting Safe
Hear about AI mistakes and near-misses early, without blame.
Train For Confidence
Pair every warning with a clear way to stay in control.
Governance That Grows With You
Defiance AI™ is mapped to recognized frameworks, so a 50-person company and a 5,000-person company follow the same rules of the road.
AI risk & governance
- NIST AI RMF
- ISO/IEC 42001
- EU AI Act
- MIT AI Risk Repository
AI security
- OWASP Top 10 for LLM Applications
- OWASP Top 10 for Agentic Applications
- MITRE ATLAS
Beyond the basics
- NIST Cyber AI Profile
- CSA AI Controls Matrix
Built For Teams Without A Security Department
The same five commitments guide every engagement, whether you have one IT lead or a full security team.
Protection
Protect every interaction, wherever AI is used.
Visibility
See AI activity across people, agents and systems.
Control
Apply intelligent controls in real time, without disrupting work.
Partnership
A partner, not a vendor. The engineer who onboards you stays.
Transparency
We publish our reasoning, including where our own defenses fall short.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is AI Security Only For Large Enterprises?
No. Smaller companies adopt AI as fast as large ones, usually with fewer controls. The risks are the same, with fewer people to catch them.
We Don't Have A Security Team. Where Do We Start?
With the AI Risk Assessment. In four weeks you get a risk register, a shadow AI inventory and a 90-day plan. It shows which AI use cases need an owner and a charter first.
What Is Shadow AI, And Why Does It Matter?
Shadow AI is any AI tool or account used for work without approval. It is a common way company and customer data ends up in public AI tools. Defiance AI™ finds it, so you can approve it, replace it or block it.
Who Should Own AI In A Company Our Size?
One named person for each AI use case, even if they hold several roles. A short charter sets who can pause the system, which events force action and how it returns to service.
Which Frameworks Do You Align To?
NIST AI RMF, ISO/IEC 42001 and the EU AI Act for AI risk and governance. The OWASP Top 10 for LLM and Agentic Applications and MITRE ATLAS for AI security. We also track the draft NIST Cyber AI Profile and the CSA AI Controls Matrix.
Do We Need Defiance AI™ To Work With PurpleSec?
No. Our advisory services stand on their own. Defiance AI™ is the product that enforces the policies they produce. You can add it at any point.
Meet Defiance AI™
The enforcement layer for everything on this page. Defiance AI™ reads the intent behind every prompt, response and agent action, then acts on your policy in real time.
Discover
Monitor all AI, sanctioned or not.
Verify
Confirm every intent and identity.
Govern
Prove every decision with an audit trail.
Enforce
Stop bad intent inline. Routine work passes.