The 45-Year-Old Liability: Why Endpoints (aka laptops) are Still a Data Security Problem in the Age of AI
The Origins of Endpoint Risk
After decades of innovation in personal technology, ranging from watches that track personal fitness, mini super-computers that we call phones, and a whole host of other gadgets and self-help technologies, our companies still rely on one technology that started over 45 years ago – the laptop. Fun fact: the first one, called the Osborne 1, weighed 24 pounds!
The modern laptop has a better screen, longer battery life, and weighs significantly less, but at its core is still a hard drive. What do users do with that hard drive? Fill it up with customer and company information that ranges from the most sensitive company secrets to customer information that could violate local or international regulations (or more simply, your company policy).
The Growing Risk in the Age of AI
Now, as we enter the age of AI, a staggering 97% of companies surveyed in the 2025 IBM Cost of a Breach Survey have already reported an AI-related loss, and access to locally stored content contributed to that statistic.
Can AI Solve for Endpoint Content?
If you look for solutions today that can solve data sprawl on endpoints, you will find a number of these products focus on using AI. How is that happening with all the power and complex requirements to run an AI tool?
AI tools today require cloud environments in order to exist. In this case, you are not bringing AI to the laptop. You are bringing your laptop to the AI by copying all the files stored locally to its cloud service so it can perform its scans and report back results. Each time you initiate a scan, the ‘copy, scan, and report’ process repeats itself.
Is duplication the only option to allow AI to scan endpoint content?
As of right now, yes. There are no lightweight models that are a size to be easily distributed in an enterprise (general models run 300-500 megabytes in size) and can efficiently run on an endpoint to provide the same level of service as a cloud-based model.
Is all that content movement necessary to use AI to get accurate results?
Accuracy was generally left in the hands of the consumer who purchased scanning tools. If the consumer did not have the experience or expertise, the results were often not what they expected. This is what opened the door to handing the matching rules over to AI; the perception is that this is the best way to get accurate results.
Managing Endpoint Security
At archTIS, our Spirion products are designed to address scanning and reporting sensitive data on endpoints. Our process uses a unique method – branching algorithms. We developed the CADIA (Context-Aware Data Interrogation Algorithm) – to accurately find sensitive data without ever leaving the endpoint (98%+ accuracy).
With intelligence built in and never leaving the endpoint, our agent monitors the endpoint’s performance, ensuring it does not slow down the end-user experience, producing results within minutes of the scan being launched.
The engine does more than scan and report; it can also execute a series of remediation actions from deletion and redaction to quarantining the data to a more secure location.
Lightweight, speed, accuracy and enforcement at the endpoint.
Building a Modern Endpoint Security Strategy
If you are looking to raise the level of hygiene for your endpoint environment and minimize the risks of our fast-paced, evolving AI landscape, archTIS has the tools and professionals to establish your endpoint security program.
Contact us to start a conversation.
