Barracuda Networks is targeting a growing AI security and governance gap among smaller organizations with the launch of Barracuda AI Data Security, a new offering designed to give MSPs and resource-constrained IT teams centralized controls to protect and govern generative AI use.
The launch comes as Barracuda research shows 44% of senior IT leaders at organizations with 100 to 500 employees and 49% at those with 500 to 1,000 employees rank AI security and governance among their top three capability gaps.
Barracuda combines AI security and governance controls
The solution combines AI visibility, data protection, threat defense, and governance into a single integrated experience that makes AI security accessible and scalable.
READ MORE: Our guide to building an AI governance offering helps MSPs identify the opportunities in AI security demand.
It enables businesses to accelerate AI adoption by protecting sensitive data, enforcing responsible AI use, and demonstrating compliance.
Built on the BarracudaONE platform and powered by the Barracuda IQ AI engine, the solution extends protection across more than 1,300 generative AI tools, including Copilot, ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini.
It provides full visibility into AI usage, enables the safe use of approved AI tools, inspects prompts and uploads in real time, and generates audit-ready evidence of policy enforcement.
The fully integrated approach to AI security and governance includes:
- AI data protection: Automatically blocks sensitive information – like customer data, passwords, financial records, and proprietary code – from reaching GenAI services, with no initial configuration required.
- AI threat detection: Blocks prompt injection, jailbreak attempts, hate speech, and policy-violating topics using the Barracuda IQ AI engine’s multilayered detection aligned to the OWASP LLM Top 10.
- Compliance-ready audit trail: Captures every AI interaction with one-click exports for insurers and auditors.
- Flexible AI policies: Provides tailored rules for teams, tools, and data types so businesses can implement AI where it adds value.
“AI adoption is accelerating faster than most businesses can keep pace, creating one of the most urgent new security and compliance challenges organizations face today,” said Neal Bradbury, Chief Product Officer at Barracuda. “Organizations need a practical way to secure AI as a new attack surface, protect sensitive data, enforce responsible use, and demonstrate compliance.”
“At the same time, they need the confidence to embrace and accelerate AI adoption as a driver of productivity and innovation. Barracuda AI Data Security delivers those capabilities in a single, easy-to-deploy solution. This is the first several innovations that will expand our AI Security suite and help businesses unlock AI’s full potential securely,” Bradbury continued.
MSP features target simpler AI security delivery
While many leading AI security and governance offerings are designed for large enterprises, Barracuda AI Data Security serves underserved businesses and MSPs.
The solution deploys in minutes, providing immediate protection with prebuilt sensitive data detection, using familiar firewall-style workflows that eliminate the need for specialized AI security expertise and offer guided configuration through Barracuda’s Bailey AI Assistant.
MSPs also receive centralized multitenant management and bundled pricing that fits into their service models, enabling them to lead customers through responsible AI adoption with confidence.
“Our customers are already adopting AI and working with us to build AI policies that fit their specific security frameworks with a mindset of quick adoption. But policy only goes so far – both the business and IT need safeguards. We need controls that are simple, scalable, and built for real-world environments,” said Geoff Turner, CEO, Elevate Technology Group.
He added: “Barracuda AI Data Security gives us, as an MSP, a powerful way to help our customers embrace AI securely – with centralized management, strong data protection, and clear evidence of compliance. It will enable us to lead customers through responsible and secure AI adoption with peace of mind and real controls protecting their business.”