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Compare ShadowLock to every MSP-channel shadow AI tool
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 exactly where each one fits and where ShadowLock complements it. Pick the comparison closest to your shortlist.
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.
Feature matrix: ShadowLock vs every competitor
Every surface ShadowLock scans for shadow AI, and where each competitor lands.
| 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 |
| Transparent public pricingA per-device price you can read without a sales call. | Yes | Not offered | Not offered | Not offered | Yes | Yes | Not offered | Partial or add-on |
Based on public product docs and vendor materials as of July 2026; capabilities in this category move fast.
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 - at a price you can read.
ShadowLock catches AI on the endpoint and in the M365 tenant - outside the managed browser, where DefensX can't see.
ThreatLocker blocks the AI tool at the door. ShadowLock reads the prompt and scans the M365 tenant for AI OAuth grants.
DNS can't see Copilot in Word, can't read pastes, and can't see OAuth-consented AI apps in M365. ShadowLock can.
Same resolver-layer limits as any DNS filter - and same blind spot on M365 cloud AI. ShadowLock works at the layers DNS can't reach.
Conceal isolates risky URLs. ShadowLock is purpose-built for shadow AI - endpoint, browser, and M365 tenant.
Purview governs shadow AI inside the E5 stack. ShadowLock is a focused, per-device control with no E5 requirement.
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?+
Each comparison names where the competitor is genuinely stronger and when it is the better fit, not just where ShadowLock wins. Competitor pricing is cited from public sources where available, and we update the pages as the products change.