Check selected AI applications
Configure process and version checks, plus file or registry indicators where appropriate. Distinguish an installed application from one currently running.
Managing Shadow AI.
With EasyNAC.
Check AI applications. Verify required protection. Control network access.
Use the EasyNAC endpoint agent to check selected AI desktop applications and require DLP and other inspection agents to be installed and running before granting the required network access.
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Agent-based checksSelected AI apps and required protection
4 practical scenariosManaged endpoints and unknown hardware
Standalone pilotCheck, restrict, restore and recheck
Endpoint compliance meets network access
Make required protection a condition of access.
A managed laptop can still run an unapproved AI tool or lose a required inspection process. Connect the endpoint conditions you check to a clear access decision.
Verify required security agents
Require the selected DLP, web inspection or endpoint security software to meet its configured installation and running-state checks.
Control access and recovery
Apply the agreed access policy when rules pass or fail. Define remediation destinations, recheck after repair and restore access through the agreed workflow.
Inside the white paper
Four Shadow AI scenarios. Practical access decisions.
Open a scenario to see how the agent checks and network controls fit together, and what to prove on your own endpoints.
01An unapproved AI desktop applicationConnect the configured application check to access.
A company laptop may be trusted while an unapproved AI assistant or local inference application is running. Use the EasyNAC endpoint agent to check the selected process and, where relevant, version, file or registry indicators. Apply the configured restricted access policy when that condition fails.
What to validate
Test the selected application indicator, the resulting access restriction and recovery after the prohibited condition is removed. Confirm an approved application and a healthy peer remain unaffected.
02A required DLP or inspection agent stopsRequire the protection baseline before granting access.
Make the selected DLP, web inspection or endpoint security agent part of the compliance policy. Check its installation and expected running processes. Recheck while the device is connected and apply the defined remediation access when the rule fails.
What to validate
Stop the selected process only on an approved pilot endpoint. Confirm the failed check and access response, then restore protection and recheck before normal access returns. Add a validated health or configuration signal if process state alone is insufficient.
03An unmanaged laptop or unauthorized AI hostCover unknown hardware alongside managed endpoints.
A personal laptop or unapproved workstation may have no approved endpoint compliance result. Agentless discovery and the unknown-device policy complement the EasyNAC agent by restricting access for this hardware. Keep any legitimate exception specific, limited and time bound.
What to validate
Verify the unknown device cannot reach selected internal resources while approved peers continue working. Confirm discovery and enforcement timing. Identifying a device as an AI server requires application evidence.
04An approved AI host with excessive reachKeep approved infrastructure within its required scope.
An approved inference or retrieval host can still have more network access than the project needs. Define its required destinations and access policy. On supported managed hosts, add the relevant endpoint agent checks. Application owners continue to manage service identities, model API authentication and repository permissions.
What to validate
Confirm required connections work and selected out-of-scope destinations are restricted on covered paths. Recheck access and compliance after a deployment or policy change.
A layered approach
Connect the controls your team already owns.
Keep responsibility clear across device access, application approval and data protection. EasyNAC supplies the configured endpoint checks and access response.
Application policy
Maintain the approved AI inventory and relevant check indicators. Revalidate rules after application changes and make exceptions specific and temporary.
Content inspection
DLP, web security and other inspection tools continue to examine content and browser-based AI activity. Their supported health signals can inform the access decision.
Device access response
Validate the affected endpoint, covered network paths, restriction and recovery. Agentless discovery complements the agent for unknown or unmanaged hardware.
Use each check for what it proves
Configured application checks do not provide a complete inventory of every AI tool or inspect AI prompts. A running security process is one signal; validate additional health or configuration checks when your policy requires them.
Read, share and plan
Download the Shadow AI security white paper.
Get the complete deployment approach, scenarios, standalone pilot and guidance for keeping application rules and access aligned.
Managing Shadow AI with EasyNAC
Application checks and endpoint compliance for IT and security teams.
- Configured AI desktop application checks
- Required DLP and inspection agent checks
- Four practical device and application scenarios
- Standalone pilot, restriction and recovery workflow
- Governance considerations and source references
Prove it on your own endpoints
A focused standalone pilot.
Begin with one protected subnet, two supported managed endpoints with the EasyNAC agent and an unknown test device. Use approved test applications and dummy data.
Agree the rules
Select the AI application indicators, required security processes, audit freshness and permitted remediation destinations.
Test the access response
Test passing checks, a prohibited application, a stopped protection process and missing or stale compliance results. Check an unaffected healthy peer.
Restore and measure
Restore the required protection or remove the prohibited condition. Recheck access and measure detection, restriction, recovery and rule-maintenance effort.
Start with the network pilot foundation.
The Agentless NAC Evaluation Kit provides the deployment guide and editable workbook. Add this white paper’s endpoint agent checks for the Shadow AI use case.
Before you begin
Shadow AI and NAC: common questions.
What is Shadow AI?
Shadow AI is the use of AI tools, models or autonomous agents outside an organization’s approval and oversight. It can include an AI desktop application on a managed laptop, an unapproved local inference host or an unapproved browser-based service. Each needs the controls appropriate to its use.
Does this approach use the EasyNAC endpoint agent?
Yes. The paper focuses on the EasyNAC agent for managed endpoints, with configured process, version, file or registry checks for selected AI applications and required security software. Agentless discovery and access control provide complementary coverage for unknown hardware and devices that cannot run the agent.
Can EasyNAC inspect AI prompts or replace DLP?
DLP and other content inspection products examine prompts, uploads and activity. EasyNAC checks the endpoint conditions you configure and connects the result to device network access. A running process alone does not prove every security-product function is healthy; use additional supported and validated signals where needed.
Can we keep our existing network and 802.1X deployment?
EasyNAC can work alongside an existing 802.1X deployment. Plan and validate the interaction for your network. The standalone pilot in this paper uses the EasyNAC endpoint agent and access policies on protected segments; discuss supported endpoints, traffic paths and requirements with our team.
How should we start a Shadow AI pilot?
Use a standalone appliance, one protected subnet, two supported managed endpoints and an unknown test device. Agree the application indicators, required protection processes and pass or fail access policies. Measure checks, restriction and recovery using approved test applications and dummy data. The Agentless NAC Evaluation Kit supplies the network deployment foundation; add this paper’s agent compliance tests.
Plan an EasyNAC endpoint agent pilot.
Bring your AI application policy, required protection agents and access goals. We’ll help you discuss supported checks, deployment and a suitable evaluation.