Global data privacy consultancy adds AI automation to help organisations gain control of hidden data and address shadow IT challenge

London, UK – 16^th October 2025

Global data privacy consultancy, Securys Limited (Securys), has acquired Workscope, a pioneering AI automated data discovery and governance software solution earlier this month. The acquisition strengthens Securys' position as a full-service provider for enterprise privacy and data governance, enabling clients to tackle the critical challenge of unmanaged data across spreadsheets, documents, and other shadow IT systems with automated, analytical discovery capabilities.

This acquisition bolsters Securys’ resolve to be the world’s leading specialist data privacy consultancy. Securys provides clients worldwide with full-service enterprise privacy and AI governance across discovery, delivery, and assurance from its UK headquarters and global offices.

Unlike discovery tools that simply locate unstructured data (personal data that hides in everyday files), Workscope from Securys uses real-time, AI analysis that continuously monitors how data moves through an organisation. It answers critical questions: what the data is, who is using that data, what it is being used for, with whom they are sharing it and when it is being accessed. This provides a comprehensive view of unstructured data processes that is more precise, faster and cheaper than a manual audit or a traditional check that only captures data in a single moment. Securys serves as the single trusted partner throughout.

Ben Rapp, Group CEO of Securys, said “I’m pleased to announce that we’ve finalised negotiations to add Workscope to Securys’ portfolio. Integrating Workscope strengthens our full-service delivery capabilities for clients’ privacy compliance and data governance. Workscope from Securys represents our evolving commitment to clients, bringing unstructured data under control, providing the visibility and insight they need to navigate this challenge confidently and compliantly.”

For most organisations, the challenge of Shadow IT is not due to a lack of policies but a lack of visibility. According to IBM's report on Shadow IT¹, eighty per cent of employees use shadow IT and forty-one per cent use technology without IT oversight, leaving personal data lurking in unmanaged spreadsheets, shared drives and other off-the-books environments. When this data is used with unapproved tools, emailed to wrong recipients, or applied to ad-hoc profiling without organisational visibility or control, this creates circumstances ripe for non-compliance and risks hefty fines. Manual audits to uncover this hidden data are virtually impossible at scale, leaving organisations exposed to risks they cannot see or manage.

Workscope from Securys changes this through automated discovery that goes beyond simple detection, providing AI-driven actionable analysis of data usage, location and purpose in real-time.

"Until now, organisations have either been living with this iceberg of risk or relied on expensive, manual mapping exercises" said Omar Quraishi, Founder of Workscope. "Workscope changes that. It's not just about document discovery but understanding how people perform manual work and giving organisations more control over their proprietary data. Workscope replaces armies of consultants and provides a live X-ray view of how people use and share proprietary unstructured data – visibility most clients didn’t realise was possible. As companies face growing regulations to prove they use data carefully and ethically, this capability is no longer a luxury, it’s essential."

By combining Securys’ data privacy expertise with Workscope’s automated, discovery capabilities, organisations across all sectors can finally gain control of their data. This enables them to build complete Records of Processing Activity (RoPA), maintain accurate data catalogues and differentiate between live data requiring governance and inert data ready for deletion or cold storage. As a result, costly, time-consuming compliance becomes a realistic day-to-day work practice, strengthening governance and preparing organisations for safe, auditable AI adoption.

Securys serves clients across financial services, commodities, healthcare, and other sectors where operational risk and governance of critical information are a priority. The acquisition of Workscope, completed for undisclosed terms, reinforces Securys' commitment to evolving its global offering to meet emerging compliance challenges. Securys will continue to assess market needs and evaluate additional products and services to help clients achieve compliance as regulatory requirements evolve.

About Workscope

Founded in London in 2017, Workscope is a pioneering, automated data discovery and governance software solution. Unlike tools that simply locate data, Workscope provides real-time intelligence on what data is stored, who uses it, what for, where it lives, and why. This helps organisations accelerate compliance and gain genuine control over their information.

Workscope reveals the scale and complexity of internal processes as data moves through a business. It enables organisations to build complete Records of Processing Activity, create accurate data catalogues, and identify which data needs active management versus archiving or deletion. This transforms compliance from a costly, time-consuming burden into routine business practice. It provides a fast way to mitigate risk, enable process transformation and tackle spreadsheet sprawl, whilst preparing organisations for safe, auditable AI adoption.

To learn more, visit www.workscope.com

Interested to learn more?

If you’d like to see how Workscope can help you take control of your unstructured data, don’t hesitate to get in touch to discuss a use case you have in mind. We’re already booking in discovery sessions, and we’d love to prioritise your team.