Newclear Computing

Practical AI governance • 7 minute read

ChatGPT is useful.
Unrestricted access is not a security strategy.

ThreatLocker can help control which AI tools run, what they can access and where they can connect—so your team can adopt AI without handing it the keys to everything.

See the seven controls ThreatLocker AI security

Educational guide • Updated September 2026

First, the important distinction

ThreatLocker secures the path around AI—not the AI model itself.

Think in layers. ChatGPT’s identity and workspace settings govern the account. Your business rules govern appropriate use. ThreatLocker enforces controls on managed endpoints: execution, application behaviour, data access and network communication.

01

ChatGPT account

Use strong authentication, managed business accounts, suitable retention settings and controlled integrations.

OpenAI & identity controls
02

People & information

Define approved use cases and clearly identify data that must never be entered into an AI prompt.

Governance & training
03

Device & application

Control what runs, which files it can touch, what it may launch and where it can communicate.

ThreatLocker controls

A practical rollout

Seven controls for safer AI use

Start with visibility, test policies against real work, then tighten access to the minimum required.

  1. 01

    Decide which AI use is approved

    Document approved tools, users and business purposes. Set a simple data rule: public, internal, confidential and prohibited. If people cannot understand the policy, they cannot follow it.

    Governance
  2. 02

    Allow approved AI applications only

    Use deny-by-default Application Control to prevent unapproved desktop AI clients, scripts and helper tools from executing. Browser access needs separate web and identity controls.

    ThreatLocker Application Allowlisting
    ThreatLocker
  3. 03

    Reduce shadow AI in the browser

    Use Web Content Control to allow sanctioned services and restrict unapproved or risky sites. Pair this with sign-in rules so approved AI is used from managed accounts and devices.

    ThreatLocker Web Content Control
    ThreatLocker
  4. 04

    Ringfence powerful AI tools

    For desktop and agentic tools, restrict child processes, file paths, registry access and internet destinations. An approved tool should still be contained if it is misused or compromised.

    ThreatLocker Ringfencing
    ThreatLocker
  5. 05

    Keep sensitive folders out of reach

    Apply policy-based storage controls so AI applications and browsers do not automatically inherit access to every document the user can open.

    ThreatLocker Data Storage Access Control
    ThreatLocker
  6. 06

    Remove standing administrator rights

    Grant elevation to a specific approved application for a defined purpose—not broad local admin access that an AI tool or attacker could inherit.

    ThreatLocker Privileged Access Management
    ThreatLocker
  7. 07

    Observe, refine, then enforce

    Test in Monitor Only mode, review audit activity and add only justified exceptions before moving to Secured Mode. Revisit controls when tools, integrations or roles change.

    Rollout

When AI can take action

Chat is one risk.
Agentic AI is another.

AI coding assistants and connected agents may read and write files, launch local processes, call APIs and use MCP servers. Each integration expands what the tool can see and do.

ThreatLocker’s guidance frames the control problem with four useful questions:

01

Which programs can the tool invoke?

02

Which files and data can it access?

03

Which systems can it communicate with?

04

Which websites and resources can it reach?

Go to the source

Official ThreatLocker reading

Product details and deployment guidance change. Use these first-party resources when planning policies.

Implementation guide

Applying ThreatLocker to agentic AI tools

Least-agency guidance for OpenAI Codex, Claude Code, MCP servers and related workflows.

Read on ThreatLocker.com ↗ AI security hub

ThreatLocker AI security

An overview of practical Zero Trust controls for AI applications, endpoints and cloud access.

Explore the hub ↗ Risk explainer

Shadow AI and your environment

Why unmanaged AI adoption creates blind spots—and how to begin bringing it under control.

Read on ThreatLocker.com ↗

The takeaway

Do not ask, “Can we allow AI?”

Ask: Which AI, for whom, with access to what—and can we enforce that boundary?

Plan a safer AI rollout Share this guide on LinkedIn ↗

About this guide: This is general educational information, not a deployment runbook or a claim that one product removes every AI risk. Policies should be tested against your environment and business requirements. Newclear Computing is a ThreatLocker reseller; all product names and trademarks belong to their respective owners.