As organizations adopt Generative AI (GenAI) tools at lightning speed, security teams are facing an urgent challenge: how to enable GenAI safely and at scale without slowing down innovation or exposing sensitive data.
Many companies are looking to network inspection and SASE solutions as the answer. But here’s the problem: network-based approaches are fundamentally insufficient to address the dynamic and fast-evolving world of GenAI.
At Prompt Security, we made a deliberate choice to build a browser extension-based solution, because it’s the only scalable, accurate, and future-proof way to govern GenAI tools.
Here’s why.
1. Protocol-Agnostic, Application-Agnostic: Covering Thousands of GenAI Tools Effortlessly
Today, there are thousands of GenAI tools and copilots: ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Microsoft Copilot, Jasper, Notion AI, and many more. And new ones are launching every week, often using completely new or proprietary protocols.
- Network inspection tools need custom protocol parsers for each AI tool and can only handle a few dozen at best.
- Browser extensions, on the other hand, are protocol-agnostic. We operate directly in the browser where the AI interaction happens, so we don’t care how the backend works or what protocol is used.
Result: Support for thousands of AI tools out-of-the-box, without constant maintenance or protocol parsing.
2. Immune to Constant Protocol and API Changes
GenAI tools are evolving faster than any other SaaS category. Their APIs and protocols change daily, and AI providers can adjust their backends without notice.
If you’re relying on network inspection, you’re in an endless game of catch-up:
- Every protocol change breaks your visibility.
- Every new AI feature requires a new parser.
- Shadow AI tools easily fly under the radar.
With a browser extension, we are immune to backend changes because we focus on what the user sees and does in the browser.
3. Dynamic, Accurate Detection via DOM and User Actions (Not Just Guesswork)
Unlike network tools that guess based on traffic patterns, our browser extension dynamically detects GenAI usage by analyzing the DOM and user actions:
- Typing, pasting, uploading files, clicking buttons.
- Analyzing input fields and AI responses directly in the page.
We differentiate between user input and AI-generated output, giving precise context. This dramatically reduces false positives, since we’re focused on real interactions, not noisy network flows.
Bottom line: More accurate detections, less noise.
4. In-the-Moment Education and Coaching Popups
Security shouldn’t be about blocking AI tools outright: it should enable safe usage.
With a browser extension, we can show real-time, contextual education popups when users engage with GenAI tools:
- “Are you sure you want to share sensitive data with ChatGPT?”
- “Reminder: Don’t upload customer data to AI without approval.”
Proactive, in-the-moment coaching helps employees make safer choices, something no network tool can do.
5. Redacting Sensitive Data, Not Just Blocking Access
Network inspection tools often resort to blocking entire AI tools because they can’t parse prompts or understand context.
With browser-level visibility, we can go much further:
- Identify sensitive data in prompts.
- Redact or warn users before data is sent without blocking access to the tool entirely.
- Monitor AI responses to detect leaks of internal information.
6. Real Shadow AI Discovery: Not Just What You Know, but What You Don’t
One of the biggest challenges today is Shadow AI: employees using AI tools without IT’s knowledge or approval.
Network inspection can only detect tools it already knows about and has parsers for, meaning dozens, at most.
Our browser extension dynamically discovers new AI tools and copilots based on actual user behavior and DOM analysis, even if the tool is brand new.
Result: Real Shadow AI discovery and not just a partial view.
GenAI tools are user-facing, rapidly evolving, and deeply embedded in modern workflows. To govern them properly, you need to operate where the user operates — in the browser.
Want to see how Prompt Security makes safe GenAI enablement simple and effective? Let’s chat.
