Controls you can verify
Every control is something that can be tested and evidenced, not only written in a policy.
Core Consulting · AI Security & Governance
AI you can control, audit, and explain.
As AI systems and agents gain access to data and tools, the questions change: who is acting, with what permissions, and how would you know. We help organizations put the right controls in place.
Our view
Adoption is moving faster than control.
Many organizations are deploying assistants and agents before they have settled basic questions about identity, access, logging, and oversight. Those questions are easier and cheaper to answer before a system is in production than after an incident.
Northspan’s leadership also builds software in this area, including AgentSentry, a product for AI-agent identity and security. That experience informs how we assess and design controls. Our recommendations are based on your requirements, and we disclose any relationship we have with a tool we mention.
Scope
Governance and security engineering for AI.
AI risk assessment
An inventory of AI use, data flows, and tool access, with risks rated and a prioritized plan.
Agent identity and permissions
How each agent authenticates, what it may access, and how its authority is limited, reviewed, and revoked.
Access-control design
Least-privilege access for AI systems to data, applications, and external services.
Data leakage controls
Handling of sensitive data in prompts, retrieval, logs, and outputs.
Audit logging and traceability
Records of what an AI system or agent did, on whose behalf, and why, retained and reviewable.
Policy and approval enforcement
Approval checkpoints, human escalation, and technical guardrails that match your written policies.
Evaluation and red-teaming coordination
Test plans and coordination with specialist testers for the behaviors that matter most.
AI incident-response readiness
Procedures and exercises for when an AI system behaves unexpectedly or is misused.
Approach
How we approach AI governance.
Proportionate to risk
Heavier controls where the consequences are greater, lighter ones where they are not.
Built into delivery
Governance is part of how a system is designed and operated, not a review at the end.
Where to begin
AI Governance and Agent Security Assessment
A fixed-scope review of your AI systems and planned agents, ending in a risk model, a control roadmap, and recommended first actions. Scope and deliverables are confirmed in writing before work starts.
- Inventory of AI systems, agents, and the data and tools they touch
- Identity, access, and logging gaps identified
- Risks rated, with controls recommended in priority order
- A roadmap for implementation and ongoing review
Good to know
Boundaries worth stating.
- This is AI governance and security engineering. It is not a full cybersecurity, managed security, or regulatory compliance service, and we do not certify compliance with any standard.
- Where specialist testing or security operations are needed, we say so and work with appropriate specialists.
- Scope, timing, and fees are agreed per engagement and confirmed in writing.
Questions
Is this a compliance service?
No. We help design and implement controls and evidence for AI systems. Compliance decisions and certifications remain with you and your advisors.
We have not deployed agents yet. Is it too early?
Often it is the best time. Deciding identity, permissions, and logging first is simpler than adding them later.
Do you recommend a particular product?
We recommend what fits your requirements, which may be a product, a platform feature, or a custom control. We tell you about any relationship we have with a tool we mention.
Let’s identify the right next step.
Whether you need a technology roadmap, a cloud assessment, an AI implementation, or a practical starting point for your business, Northspan can help you define the next step.