Security | Threat Detection | Cyberattacks | DevSecOps | Compliance

The shadow AI user is notoriously hard to observe. This elusive creature hunts in incognito tabs and leaves almost no trace on the approved tools list. In this episode of Cyber Risk in the Wild, a looming deadline draws one employee into the open, and the pride’s AI policy is put to the test. UpGuard User Risk uncovers the shadow AI and unsanctioned SaaS your teams are using, blocks risky uploads and pastes in the browser, and redirects people to approved AI tools in the moment.

The shadow AI user is notoriously hard to observe. This elusive creature hunts in incognito tabs and leaves almost no trace on the approved tools list. In this rare footage, a looming deadline draws one employee into the open, and an unapproved AI tool is only a few keystrokes away. Even the stealthiest hunter can be stopped, though. UpGuard User Risk uncovers shadow AI across your workforce and redirects people to approved tools in the moment.

How many red flags does your security program have? UpGuard CPO Daniel Bradbury calls out a few big ones we’re seeing right now, from banning ChatGPT to reporting a single security score to the board. If any of them hit close to home, the next UpGuard Summit is where we’re showing you how to turn those red flags green. It’s our free virtual event for security leaders, GRC practitioners and IT teams, and every session is recorded if you can’t make it live.

Most cyber incidents trace back to people, so a vendor’s employee engagement can say a lot about its security. Brian Mackerer of Craft.co explains why procurement teams are starting to look at cyber risk alongside other signals, like employee engagement and financial stability, instead of relying on a cyber score alone. Discover more at upguard.com.

We found more than 16,000 Supabase databases sitting wide open, and over half held personal data like names, phone numbers and passwords. The organizations behind them ranged from a valet service to a government consulate, and in many cases the owners never checked the settings AI wrote. What is the Supabase data exposure? Anyone visiting these sites could read the data in their databases. Many belong to vibe-coded apps, where AI coding tools often handle the database setup.

The barrier to entry for cybercrime is dropping fast. SPOILER: AI has a whole lot to do with it. Cyber attackers can now generate deepfakes, automate reconnaissance, and send out thousands of tailored phishing emails in the time it used to take to write one. Defenders are fighting back with AI of their own, catching threats earlier and shrinking the window attackers have to work with. Where do you land? Comment for attackers or for defenders and tell us why.

Would you bet your next audit on an AI summary you can't trace back to the evidence? See what good AI should actually deliver for TPRM teams: check-level depth, full citations, and a decision trail that holds up under review. Want to learn more? Check out our Interested in finding out more about UpGuard?

62% of security leaders can't tell their board whether they're actually getting safer. See how Threat Posture turns thousands of external signals into one board-ready narrative, with the evidence trail attached. Want to learn more? Check out our Interested in finding out more about UpGuard?

One customer expected 20 approved apps. User Risk found over 80 running underneath. See how the new Action Center turns that discovery into a prioritized list your team can act on. Want to learn more? Check out our Interested in finding out more about UpGuard?

Ed Kost, Content Strategist at UpGuard, gave us a day in the life. Turns out there's a lot more to a cybersecurity content strategist than vendor risk management. We hire talented people and let them be themselves, which is how you end up with someone like Ed. Every UpGuardian brings a little something extra to the team. UpGuard helps organizations manage third-party risk (TPRM) and monitor their attack surface. But great security work starts with a team of people worth spending your day with.