Generative AI security for MSPs

Frequently asked questions about GenAI security

• Is generative AI safe for business use?

  Generative AI can be used safely when supported by governance and clear controls. Without these, organizations face increased risk of data exposure and inconsistent outcomes.

• Can generative AI leak confidential data?

  Yes. Data shared with AI can be processed or stored outside organizational boundaries.

• How do MSPs protect clients from shadow AI?

  Protecting clients from shadow AI starts with gaining visibility into which AI tools are being used across the environment, including unsanctioned or unmanaged applications. From there, organizations should define clear usage policies, set data-sharing boundaries and monitor AI interactions for risky behavior such as sensitive data exposure or unsafe prompts. Acronis GenAI Protection helps MSPs and businesses address shadow AI by improving visibility, supporting policy enforcement and reducing the risk of data leakage or misuse across AI-driven workflows.

• What is AI security?

  AI security is the practice of protecting AI systems, tools and data from misuse, manipulation, exposure and unauthorized access. It helps organizations reduce risks such as data leakage, unsafe outputs, prompt-based attacks and loss of control over AI activity.

  AI security applies differently depending on how organizations use AI. Broadly, organizations fall into three groups:

  • AI consumers use third-party AI tools such as chatbots and copilots in everyday workflows.
  • AI builders customize and integrate AI solutions into their environments.
  • AI developers create AI models and applications from the ground up.

  Each group faces distinct risks, from data exposure and prompt injection to model manipulation and governance challenges. Acronis focuses specifically on securing AI consumers and builders – especially those served by managed service providers – where the priority is protecting business data, maintaining control over AI usage and ensuring safe, compliant adoption at scale.

• What are the main generative AI security risks?

  The main generative AI security risks are shadow AI (unapproved tools that create blind spots), AI abuse (manipulated prompts that produce unsafe outputs) and data leakage (sensitive or regulated data exposed through AI interactions). For MSPs, the common thread is limited visibility into where and how AI is being used.

• What is AI data leakage and how do you prevent it?

  AI data leakage is the exposure of sensitive information through generative AI tools – for example, employees pasting customer records or source code into a prompt where it can be retained outside approved boundaries. Preventing it means inspecting prompts for sensitive data, controlling how it is shared and logging AI usage. Acronis GenAI Protection helps MSPs enforce these controls.