Organizations are becoming more comfortable with the use of AI, especially when using “containerized” instances in which the firm’s data is not exposed publicly, and public models are not trained on their data.
In today’s digital workplace, collaboration tools like SharePoint are a cornerstone of document management and knowledge sharing. But as organizations increasingly integrate AI-powered tools such as enterprise search assistants and chatbots into their workflows, over-permissioning has become a growing hidden risk.
What is Over-Permissioning
Over-permissioning happens when users or groups are granted more access than they actually need. This might be due to:
- Misconfigured inheritance of permissions.
- Broad group-level access (e.g., “everyone” or “all authenticated users”).
- Lack of regular permission audits.
- Permission creep.
- Convenience over caution when sharing folders or libraries.
While this might not seem impactful the problem escalates when AI enters the picture.
How AI Uses Data
Modern AI tools integrated with collaboration software are designed to search across your organization’s data to provide helpful, context-aware answers. However, if a user has access to a shared document or drive, AI assumes it’s fair game to include that content in its responses, regardless of whether it is appropriate for the user to see.
The Risk: AI Accessing Sensitive Data
Imagine this scenario:
A junior employee asks an AI tool, “What’s our pricing strategy for next quarter?”
If that employee has access (even accidentally) to a confidential shared document outlining pricing plans, the AI tool might summarize or quote from it—exposing sensitive business information.
This isn’t a bug. It’s a feature that is working as designed, based on the permissions model. But when permissions are too loose, AI becomes a mirror reflecting those flaws.
Examples of Over-Permissioning Gone Wrong
While the above example was specific to a certain department, consider these sensitive, centrally-stored documents as it relates to your business:
- HR documents with salary data accessible to all staff.
- Legal contracts shared with broad internal groups.
- M&A strategy decks left in a shared team site with inherited permissions.
In each case, AI tools could inadvertently surface this data in response to a seemingly innocent query.
How to Protect Your Organization
Here are some best practices to avoid over-permissioning and AI data leaks:
- Audit shared document permissions regularly:
- Use tools like Microsoft Purview or SharePoint Admin Center to identify overly broad access.
- Apply the principle of least privilege:
- Evaluate and monitor AI tools to ensure they are enforcing data governance policies, including existing access controls.
- Only give users access to what they need, and nothing more.
- Review logical access design:
- For sensitive libraries or folders, do not inherit permissions from parent sites or move content into a new site with limited membership.
- Use sensitivity labels and data loss prevention policies:
- These can help restrict AI access to classified or confidential content.
- Educate your teams:
- Make sure users understand the implications of sharing documents and how AI tools work.
Conclusion
AI is only as secure as the data it can access. In a world where AI is your new digital assistant, over-permissioning isn’t just an IT issue, it’s a business risk.
By tightening access controls and understanding how AI interacts with your data, you can harness the power of AI without compromising your organization’s privacy or security.
Let’s Solve This Together
ACA’s regulatory compliance, cybersecurity, and privacy consultants can help clients meet the evolving challenges of AI risks through the following services:
- Risk assessments exploring the usage and risks of generative AI.
- Templates and guidance on acceptable use policies for generative AI that can be tailored to the organization.
- Tabletop exercises designed to simulate generative AI risk scenarios.
- Expert guidance on privacy and regulatory issues that are raised through the use of AI.
To learn how ACA can help you enhance your AI policies, please don’t hesitate to reach out to your consultant or contact us here.