ThreatLocker launches tool to restrict actions of AI agents

The rise of agentic AI

Organizations are increasingly moving toward 'agentic' AI, which refers to systems capable of taking actions rather than just providing information. These agents can interact with various scripts, browsers, and external services to complete complex tasks based on a single user prompt. This shift creates a new landscape for corporate security and data management.

Because these agents can perform multi-step workflows, they have the potential to move across an entire organization's environment. If left unmonitored, an agent might execute a series of commands that lead to unintended consequences or data exposure. This creates a significant hurdle for companies that want to adopt AI technology while maintaining strict security protocols.

ThreatLocker is addressing this by launching Zero Trust AI Control (ZTAIC). The company designed this product to help organizations deploy these agents while limiting their ability to execute unauthorized actions. The goal is to provide a way for businesses to use AI without feeling like they are giving away total control of their digital infrastructure.

Moving beyond internal guardrails

Many AI developers build 'guardrails' directly into the models or applications to prevent them from doing something harmful. However, ThreatLocker argues that these internal protections can be bypassed or may fail if an agent behaves in an unexpected way. Relying solely on the AI's own rules can leave a company vulnerable to sophisticated errors or exploits.

ZTAIC works by applying policy controls outside of the AI model or the application itself. By placing the security layer on the environment level, the company ensures that the agent is restricted by the system it lives in. This approach creates a secondary layer of defense that remains in place regardless of how the AI chooses to behave.

The tool allows security teams to define exactly what an AI agent is permitted to do across different applications, processes, and services. This ensures that even if an agent is tasked with a broad goal, it cannot deviate into restricted areas of the network. It creates a defined perimeter for the AI's capabilities within the corporate workspace.

Policy control and deployment

One of the primary challenges for security teams is the amount of work required to secure new software deployments. ThreatLocker aims to reduce this burden by including recommended policies within ZTAIC. These pre-built settings allow teams to start with a baseline of security and then customize them to fit their specific needs.

The product is designed to maintain access boundaries throughout an entire workflow. When a user gives a request to an AI, the agent might need to connect to several different services or run multiple scripts in sequence. ZTAIC monitors these connections and actions in real-time to ensure they stay within the authorized limits.

Security teams can use these tools to manage the operational reality of agentic AI. Instead of manually checking every action an agent takes, they can set a policy once and let the system enforce it. This allows for a more scalable way to manage AI tools as they become more common in the workplace.

Integration with existing tools

ZTAIC is not intended to work in a vacuum but rather alongside ThreatLocker's current security suite. It can be used with ThreatLocker Allowlisting and Web Content Control to create a comprehensive security strategy. These existing products help determine which AI applications and browser-based services are allowed to run in the first place.

Once an application is permitted to run, ZTAIC takes over to manage what the authorized agents can actually do. This two-step process ensures that only approved software is used and that the software's behavior is strictly governed. It provides a granular level of control over the interaction between humans, AI, and corporate data.

By combining these tools, organizations can create a layered defense. They can block unauthorized AI services at the web level while simultaneously restricting the actions of approved agents at the process level. This helps maintain a consistent security posture across the entire company infrastructure.

The changing security landscape

The introduction of ZTAIC highlights a fundamental shift in how companies must think about cybersecurity. As AI moves from a passive information source to an active participant in business workflows, the risks change. Security professionals must now account for the autonomous actions of software agents rather than just human-driven clicks.

Danny Jenkins, CEO and co-founder of ThreatLocker, stated that AI agents are now being used to take actions across an organization's environment. This statement underscores the need for tools that can monitor and restrict those actions in real-time to prevent unauthorized access.

As more companies adopt agentic AI to increase productivity, the demand for these types of controls will likely grow. Organizations need to find a balance between the efficiency of AI and the necessity of protecting their internal systems. ZTAIC represents one way to provide that peace of mind by keeping AI activity within a controlled box.