Securing AI Agents in the Enterprise Workforce
Security teams must define access policies for AI agents to prevent over-permissioning and ensure safe deployment, similar to managing human employees.
By Tony Burnside, SVP and Head of APAC at Netskope
Tuesday, 24 June, 2025
Agentic AI is transforming organizations, with Gartner predicting that by 2028, 33% of enterprise software will include embedded agentic AI, enabling 15% of daily work decisions to be made autonomously. However, this shift introduces new cyber risks, requiring security teams to collaborate with IT leaders to manage this "artificial workforce."
The Rise of Agentic AI
Early examples like customer support chatbots highlight both potential and pitfalls. Organizations must avoid rushed deployments driven by FOMO and instead plan carefully. AI agents are poised to revolutionize areas such as:
- Incident response
- Network optimization
- Data analysis and business intelligence
- Healthcare diagnostics and treatment planning
Security Challenges
CIOs, CTOs, and CISOs now face the added responsibility of securing AI agents. Key steps include:
- Preventing Shadow AI: Ensure visibility over AI deployments to avoid ungoverned systems.
- Vendor Audits: Scrutinize third-party AI solutions for transparency and security standards.
- Access Controls: Define precise permissions to prevent over-privileged agents from becoming attack vectors.
- Behavior Monitoring: Detect anomalies that may indicate compromise.
Multi-Pronged Security Approach
Organizations must implement:
- Rigorous access controls
- Continuous monitoring
- Data encryption
- Input/output validation
- Regular security audits and penetration testing
"Securing AI agents won’t be easy," warns Burnside. "Security teams must be involved from the outset to understand each agent’s mission and adjust security parameters effectively."
Top image credit: iStock.com/Boy Wirat
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About the Author
Alex Thompson
AI Technology Editor
Senior technology editor specializing in AI and machine learning content creation for 8 years. Former technical editor at AI Magazine, now provides technical documentation and content strategy services for multiple AI companies. Excels at transforming complex AI technical concepts into accessible content.