Eclipse Networks warns SMBs to govern AI use before adopting new tools

By AI, Created 12:21 PM UTC, June 02, 2026, /AGP/ – Eclipse Networks says AI is raising cybersecurity risk for small and mid-sized businesses through more advanced attacks and unauthorized employee use of AI tools. The Atlanta-based provider is urging companies to audit infrastructure, review data access and set AI governance before rolling out new platforms.

Why it matters: - AI is giving cybercriminals better tools to spoof identities, impersonate executives and personalize phishing. - Small and mid-sized businesses are also exposed to shadow AI, where employees use unauthorized tools without security oversight. - The result is higher breach risk and higher recovery costs for SMBs that do not have formal AI controls in place.

What happened: - Eclipse Networks issued an advisory on June 2, 2026, warning business leaders about AI-driven cybersecurity threats. - The Atlanta-based managed IT and cybersecurity provider said SMBs face two converging risks: criminal use of AI and unsanctioned employee use of AI. - Steve Ryerse, co-founder of Eclipse Networks, said businesses should not adopt AI platforms before auditing infrastructure and training employees. - Eclipse Networks recommends that companies treat AI adoption as both an operational and security decision.

The details: - Fingerprint scanners, facial recognition and voice verification are increasingly vulnerable to AI-powered spoofing. - Security researchers have shown that fingerprint patterns can be reconstructed from high-resolution photos taken from several meters away. - Biometric spoof attempts surged 230% year over year, helped by generative AI tools available for under $20. - A public LinkedIn headshot or a photo from a company event can be used as source material for a biometric spoof attack. - Generative AI has made phishing messages harder to spot by using public information from social media, company websites, press releases and LinkedIn activity. - AI-generated voice and video are being used to impersonate executives in real time. - Deepfake audio has been used to authorize fraudulent wire transfers. - Fake video calls have been used to steal credentials from employees who believed they were speaking with a trusted colleague or manager. - Research from TotalAssure says AI-assisted attacks rose 72% over the last two years. - TotalAssure also found phishing incidents surged 1,265% as generative tools spread. - Pindrop’s 2025 Voice Intelligence & Security Report, based on more than 1.2 billion calls, found deepfake fraud attempts rose more than 1,300% in 2024. - Pindrop said deepfake attempts increased from an average of one per month to seven per day. - The average cost of a deepfake attack now exceeds $500,000 per incident. - The average cost of an AI-powered breach overall is $5.72 million. - IBM’s 2025 Cost of Data Breach Report found one in five organizations has experienced a breach tied to unsanctioned AI use. - IBM found organizations with high shadow AI exposure face average breach costs of $4.63 million. - That is a $670,000 premium over organizations with low or no shadow AI activity. - Eclipse Networks said employees using unauthorized AI tools are usually trying to work more efficiently, not cause harm. - The company said the risk comes from the gap between employee intent and organizational oversight. - Eclipse Networks advises leaders to review where sensitive data is stored and who can access it. - The company also recommends identifying AI tools already in use, checking whether security controls extend to AI-connected systems, training employees on acceptable use and documenting an AI governance framework. - Eclipse Networks provides cybersecurity risk assessments, infrastructure audits and AI governance consulting. - The company works with healthcare, construction, legal services and professional services organizations. - Eclipse Networks was founded in 1989, is headquartered in Atlanta and operates a private cloud data center. - The company says it offers managed IT, cybersecurity and incident response, cloud infrastructure, backup and data protection, disaster recovery and VoIP services. - More information is available on Eclipse Networks’ website.

Between the lines: - The advisory reflects a shift from viewing AI only as a productivity tool to treating it as a security risk multiplier. - SMBs are especially exposed because many lack formal cyber strategies, dedicated governance and consistent control over employee software use. - The warning also suggests that traditional security tools, including biometrics, still matter but no longer work well as stand-alone defenses.

What’s next: - Eclipse Networks expects more SMBs to assess AI use, tighten access controls and formalize governance before broader deployment. - Companies that move faster on policy, training and infrastructure audits may be better positioned to limit both external attacks and internal misuse. - The pressure on SMB leaders will likely grow as AI-enabled fraud becomes cheaper, faster and harder to detect.