Compare
ShadowLock compared to seven MSP-channel shadow AI tools
ShadowLock covers all three layers where shadow AI shows up: the Windows endpoint, the managed browser, and the Microsoft 365 tenant via Graph. Most tools on this page focus on one of those layers; the comparisons below show where each one fits and where ShadowLock complements it. Every competitor claim links to that vendor’s own documentation, and where a vendor publishes no answer we say so rather than scoring it against them.
The shape of the product
Three control layers, one product
Endpoint
Windows agent monitors the clipboard, classifies content locally with Shannon entropy + Luhn, and blocks AI desktop apps via NTFS ACLs.
Browser
Managed Chrome/Edge extension force-installed via policies. Detects AI URLs and blocks sensitive pastes regardless of which account is signed in.
M365 tenant
Microsoft Graph integration scans for AI OAuth grants (Copilot plugins, third-party add-ins), alerts on new consent, and can block or revoke at the tenant.
At a glance
Feature matrix: the seven tools compared
Every surface ShadowLock scans for shadow AI, and where each competitor lands. A dash means the capability is not described in that vendor’s public documentation — read it as undocumented, not as tested and failed.
| Capability | ShadowLock | Kipling Secure | DefensX | ThreatLocker | DNSFilter | Control D | Conceal | Microsoft Purview |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Detection & governance | ||||||||
| AI websitesChatGPT, Gemini, Claude and other web-based AI tools. | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Partial or add-on | Partial or add-on |
| Browser extensionsAI-tool extensions installed in Chrome / Edge. | Yes | Not offered | Not offered | Not offered | Not offered | Not offered | Not offered | Not offered |
| Desktop AI appsDetects and blocks native clients like the ChatGPT / Claude desktop apps. | Yes | Not offered | Not offered | Yes | Not offered | Not offered | Not offered | Not offered |
| Microsoft 365 tenantThird-party AI OAuth grants and Copilot add-ins, via Microsoft Graph. | Yes | Not offered | Not offered | Not offered | Not offered | Not offered | Not offered | Partial or add-on |
| Personal account useFlags AI tools used under personal, non-corporate logins. | Yes | Not offered | Partial or add-on | Not offered | Not offered | Not offered | Not offered | Partial or add-on |
| Data-sharing & training settingsDetects risky settings that let an AI tool train on your data. | Yes | Not offered | Partial or add-on | Not offered | Not offered | Not offered | Not offered | Not offered |
| Sensitive paste / prompt dataClassifies sensitive content typed or pasted into AI tools (entropy + Luhn). | Yes | Yes | Yes | Not offered | Not offered | Not offered | Not offered | Yes |
| Sensitive file uploadsCatches confidential files being uploaded to AI tools. | Yes | Partial or add-on | Yes | Not offered | Not offered | Not offered | Not offered | Yes |
| Built for MSPs | ||||||||
| Prospect scannerA no-install audit scan a prospect runs before buying, for pre-sales AI risk reports. | Yes | Not offered | Not offered | Not offered | Not offered | Not offered | Not offered | Not offered |
| MSP multi-tenant / white-label | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Not offered |
Scored from each vendor’s own public product documentation, last checked . Capabilities in this category move fast — see the sources and verify anything decision-critical with the vendor.
One page per peer
Head-to-head comparisons
One page per peer, the honest tradeoffs.
Kipling is a broad AI-native XDR with no M365 tenant scanning. ShadowLock is a focused shadow AI control that scans the M365 tenant.
Read the comparison →ShadowLock vs DefensXBrowser-extension secure workspaceShadowLock catches AI on the endpoint and in the M365 tenant - outside the managed browser, where DefensX can't see.
Read the comparison →ShadowLock vs ThreatLockerZero-trust application allowlistingThreatLocker blocks the AI tool at the door. ShadowLock reads the prompt and scans the M365 tenant for AI OAuth grants.
Read the comparison →ShadowLock vs DNSFilterProtective DNS / web filteringDNS can't see Copilot in Word, can't read pastes, and can't see OAuth-consented AI apps in M365. ShadowLock can.
Read the comparison →ShadowLock vs Control DDNS filtering with AI/ML threat blockingSame resolver-layer limits as any DNS filter - and same blind spot on M365 cloud AI. ShadowLock works at the layers DNS can't reach.
Read the comparison →ShadowLock vs Conceal (ConcealBrowse)Browser isolationConceal isolates risky URLs. ShadowLock is purpose-built for shadow AI - endpoint, browser, and M365 tenant.
Read the comparison →ShadowLock vs Microsoft PurviewEnterprise data governance (M365 E5)Purview governs shadow AI inside the E5 stack. ShadowLock is a focused, per-device control with no E5 requirement.
Read the comparison →FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Which shadow AI tool is right for my MSP?
It depends on where you need coverage. DNS filters (DNSFilter, Control D) block at the resolver, browser tools (DefensX, Conceal) cover the managed browser, and ThreatLocker blocks app installs. ShadowLock covers the Windows endpoint, the managed browser, and the Microsoft 365 tenant together. The head-to-head comparisons below break down each tradeoff.
Does ShadowLock replace my DNS filter or ThreatLocker?
Not necessarily - many MSPs run ShadowLock alongside a DNS filter or ThreatLocker. Those tools block at the network or application layer; ShadowLock adds prompt-level data classification and Microsoft 365 OAuth visibility that those layers cannot see. Each comparison explains where they overlap and where they complement.
What are the three layers shadow AI shows up in?
The Windows endpoint (desktop AI apps and clipboard pastes), the browser (web-based AI tools like ChatGPT and Gemini), and the Microsoft 365 tenant (AI OAuth grants and Copilot add-ins). A tool that covers only one layer leaves the others unmonitored.
Are these comparisons honest?
ShadowLock publishes them and is ranked in them, so judge them on whether the reasoning is checkable. Each comparison names where the competitor is genuinely stronger and when it is the better fit, links every competitor claim to that vendor’s own public documentation, and carries the date those details were last verified. Where a vendor does not publish an answer we label it “not publicly documented” instead of scoring it as a gap.
Get the all-three-layer pick
Sources and verification
ShadowLock publishes this matrix and appears in it. Every competitor cell traces to that vendor’s own public documentation, linked below. Competitor facts on this page were last checked on . Pricing and features change without notice — verify against the vendor before you buy.
- DefensX product ↗ — DefensX describes a browser extension, endpoint agent, and cloud intelligence layer, with AI Data Protection that inspects prompts and responses in-browser, redacts PII and source code before transmission, and limits or sanitises file uploads to LLMs.
- DNSFilter pricing ↗ — The pricing page describes AI-powered categorisation and content filtering, but does not document a dedicated generative-AI filtering category.Not publicly documented
- Conceal ↗ — ConcealBrowse is a browser extension for Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Brave that applies zero-trust controls and URL isolation to browsing sessions.
- Microsoft Learn: DSPM for AI ↗ — Microsoft documents that DSPM for AI requires Microsoft 365 E5, the Microsoft Purview suite, or the E5 Compliance add-on on top of E3.
- Microsoft Learn: Purview for Copilot ↗ — Microsoft documents Purview data security and compliance controls for Microsoft 365 Copilot and Copilot Chat.
One claim on this page rests on the absence of public documentation rather than on a vendor statement. We have written it as “not publicly documented” for that reason. If you represent one of these vendors and we have it wrong, tell us and we will correct it.
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