Per-user shadow AI discovery across 10,000+ AI tools
Aona browser pluginDetection catalog; policy enforcement on the top-tier assistants
Aona native appSupported
Harmonic SecurityBrowser extension plus desktop client discovery
Workforce AI Security · Why Aona
Aona
Harmonic Security
Aona vs Harmonic Security
Choose Aona for employee AI security.
See what sets Aona apart, compare the details, and try it on your own devices.
30-day free trialSOC 2 Type II
The verdict
The Aona advantage
Aona is built for employee AI security. Its offer includes a guided 30-day trial, a hard block on prompts and file uploads with no user override, layout-preserving DOCX, XLSX and PDF redaction, native coverage of the ChatGPT, Copilot and Claude desktop apps, and seven Aona-managed hosting regions. Harmonic Security is a demo-led AI data security platform built around a browser extension, a desktop client and an MCP gateway; it stops at prompt redaction (file redaction is not claimed) and offers no self-serve trial, as of September 2026.
About this comparison
Aona secures employees' use of AI tools on the device: the browser plugin for Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari and the endpoint app for Windows and macOS inspect the prompt and the upload at submit, block hard when policy says so, redact DOCX, XLSX and PDF files with the layout intact, and coach the employee in the moment. Harmonic Security addresses the same buyer question with a browser extension, a desktop client and an MCP gateway, sold through a demo. This page shows where the two differ on trial, file redaction, desktop coverage and hosting.
The Workforce AI Security platform for any company adopting generative AI, with broader endpoint coverage than the incumbents, a simpler trial, and one of the few that ships hard-block DLP for AI prompts and files.
Harmonic Security: AI data security platform for employee AI use, delivered as a browser extension, a desktop client and an MCP gateway; demo-led, US-headquartered.
Decision matrix
When to pick Aona
Five buyer scenarios, answered for employee AI use.
01You want to evaluate this quarter without a demo-led sales cycle.
Aona
Aona starts with a 30-day guided trial: IT pushes the plugin and the endpoint app with its existing deployment tooling and the first signal arrives during the agreed evaluation. Harmonic is demo-led, with no self-serve trial: its site routes to a demo request (as of September 2026).
02An employee uploads a contract or spreadsheet to an AI assistant and the file must stay usable.
Aona
Aona redacts DOCX, XLSX and PDF files in place on upload, with the layout preserved and length-matched entity replacement, and hard-blocks with no user override when the policy says so. Harmonic's DLP page claims real-time prompt redaction; file or document redaction is not claimed (as of September 2026). Test both with your own documents on the Aona trial.
03Employees use the ChatGPT, Copilot and Claude desktop apps, not only the browser.
Aona
Aona's endpoint app for Windows and macOS inspects the ChatGPT, Copilot and Claude desktop apps with the same hard block and file redaction as the browser plugin. Harmonic's endpoint page names Claude Desktop, ChatGPT Desktop, Cursor, Codex, Claude Code, GitHub Copilot and Ollama; the Copilot desktop app is not on that list (as of September 2026). Check the list against the apps your employees open, then deploy Aona's endpoint app with your existing tooling.
04You need in-region hosting in the EU, UK or APAC and SIEM evidence for the security review.
Aona
Aona offers seven Aona-managed hosting regions (Australia, France, the UK, Germany, the US, Singapore and Hong Kong) and streams events to Microsoft Sentinel via OCSF, with a REST API and HMAC-signed webhooks. Harmonic's home page says EU hosting is available on request; its region list, default processing location and SIEM connectors are not publicly documented (as of September 2026). Ask Harmonic for those in writing, then compare with the region you pick in Aona at signup.
05A risky prompt should teach the employee, not only stop them.
Run both
Both coach at the prompt: Aona shows guidance at the moment of a risky prompt in the browser and in the desktop apps, and Harmonic describes a coach-first model with block, warn and silent-log actions. Aona pairs the coaching with a hard block that has no user override, EU AI Act, ISO 42001, SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA and GDPR policy templates, and per-team violation trends that show the coaching working.
Capability matrix
What each tool actually does
Choose a priority. Compare Aona’s browser plugin and native app with the other product.
| Capability | Aona browser plugin | Aona native app | Harmonic Security |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discover | |||
| Per-user shadow AI discovery across 10,000+ AI tools | Detection catalog; policy enforcement on the top-tier assistants | Supported | Browser extension plus desktop client discovery |
| Prompt inspection at submit, before the prompt reaches the AI provider | Supported | Supported | On-device detection with small language models, per Harmonic |
| Native desktop AI app interception (ChatGPT, Copilot, Claude desktop) | The browser plugin covers the browser only | Supported | Lists ChatGPT and Claude desktop; Copilot desktop app not listed |
| AI agent and MCP inspection on the endpoint | Not included | Limited rollout, not general availability | MCP gateway plus desktop client for Cursor, Codex, Claude Code |
| Dedicated MCP gateway for agent-to-tool traffic (Windows, macOS, Linux) | Not included | No gateway; endpoint agent inspection in limited rollout | Supported |
| Coding-agent coverage on the desktop (Cursor, Codex, Claude Code) | Not included | Not claimed today | Named on Harmonic's endpoint page |
| Govern | |||
| Real-time employee coaching at the moment of a risky prompt | Supported | Supported | Coach-first model with block, warn and silent-log actions |
| AI policy templates: EU AI Act, ISO 42001, SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA, GDPR | Supported | Supported | Framework coverage claimed; template packs not documented |
| Per-team policy violation trends and AI adoption analytics | Supported | Supported | Console visibility; per-team violation trends not documented |
| Protect | |||
| Hard block on prompts and file uploads with no user override | Supported | Supported | Block, warn or log silently; no-override mode not documented |
| Layout-preserving DOCX, XLSX and PDF redaction on upload | Supported | Supported | Prompt redaction claimed; file or document redaction not claimed |
| Operations | |||
| Choice of seven Aona-managed hosting regions | Supported | Supported | EU hosting on request; region list not documented |
| SIEM export: Microsoft Sentinel via OCSF, REST API and webhooks | Supported | Supported | Not publicly documented |
| Free 30-day guided trial | Supported | Supported | Demo-led; no self-serve trial |
| Time to first signal | Agree during scoping | Agree during scoping | Days to weeks |
Discover
Prompt inspection at submit, before the prompt reaches the AI provider
Aona browser pluginSupported
Aona native appSupported
Harmonic SecurityOn-device detection with small language models, per Harmonic
Native desktop AI app interception (ChatGPT, Copilot, Claude desktop)
Aona browser pluginThe browser plugin covers the browser only
Aona native appSupported
Harmonic SecurityLists ChatGPT and Claude desktop; Copilot desktop app not listed
AI agent and MCP inspection on the endpoint
Aona browser pluginNot included
Aona native appLimited rollout, not general availability
Harmonic SecurityMCP gateway plus desktop client for Cursor, Codex, Claude Code
Dedicated MCP gateway for agent-to-tool traffic (Windows, macOS, Linux)
Aona browser pluginNot included
Aona native appNo gateway; endpoint agent inspection in limited rollout
Harmonic SecuritySupported
Coding-agent coverage on the desktop (Cursor, Codex, Claude Code)
Aona browser pluginNot included
Aona native appNot claimed today
Harmonic SecurityNamed on Harmonic's endpoint page
Govern
Real-time employee coaching at the moment of a risky prompt
Aona browser pluginSupported
Aona native appSupported
Harmonic SecurityCoach-first model with block, warn and silent-log actions
AI policy templates: EU AI Act, ISO 42001, SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA, GDPR
Aona browser pluginSupported
Aona native appSupported
Harmonic SecurityFramework coverage claimed; template packs not documented
Per-team policy violation trends and AI adoption analytics
Aona browser pluginSupported
Aona native appSupported
Harmonic SecurityConsole visibility; per-team violation trends not documented
Protect
Hard block on prompts and file uploads with no user override
Aona browser pluginSupported
Aona native appSupported
Harmonic SecurityBlock, warn or log silently; no-override mode not documented
Layout-preserving DOCX, XLSX and PDF redaction on upload
Aona browser pluginSupported
Aona native appSupported
Harmonic SecurityPrompt redaction claimed; file or document redaction not claimed
Operations
Choice of seven Aona-managed hosting regions
Aona browser pluginSupported
Aona native appSupported
Harmonic SecurityEU hosting on request; region list not documented
SIEM export: Microsoft Sentinel via OCSF, REST API and webhooks
Aona browser pluginSupported
Aona native appSupported
Harmonic SecurityNot publicly documented
Free 30-day guided trial
Aona browser pluginSupported
Aona native appSupported
Harmonic SecurityDemo-led; no self-serve trial
Time to first signal
Aona browser pluginAgree during scoping
Aona native appAgree during scoping
Harmonic SecurityDays to weeks
Based on vendor documentation as of September 2026. Email trust@aona.ai if you find a factual error.
Deployment
From evaluation to rollout.
Aona
- Shape
- Browser plugin for Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari plus a native endpoint app for Windows and macOS, deployed by IT with its existing software deployment tools (Intune is one option). No network routing or DNS changes.
- Time to first signal
- Agree during scoping
- What IT must change
- Push the plugin and the endpoint app with your usual deployment tooling and connect Microsoft Entra for admin SSO and user or group sync. Nothing changes on the network, in the SSE or in Microsoft 365.
- Prerequisites
- A software deployment tool for managed devices (Intune, Jamf or equivalent)
- Microsoft Entra for admin SSO and user or group sync; general OIDC or SAML also works
Harmonic Security
- Shape
- Browser extension for Chromium browsers including Island, Arc and Comet, a desktop client, an MCP gateway for Windows, macOS and Linux, and a SaaS console.
- Time to first signal
- Days
- What IT must change
- Extension and desktop client pushed with Intune, Jamf, Kandji or Group Policy, per Harmonic; the MCP gateway is installed on the device. Deployment follows a demo-led contract.
- Prerequisites
- A demo-led contract (no self-serve path)
- Device management to push the extension and desktop client
- Identity provider for SSO
Scope, stated plainly
Know the scope. Plan with confidence.
Aona
- Coverage needs the Aona plugin or endpoint app on the device. There is no agentless or network-only mode, so personal and unmanaged devices are out of scope.
- No iOS or Android coverage: AI use on phones is out of scope.
- AI agent and MCP inspection ships in limited rollout on the native endpoint app, not general availability.
- Aona has a SOC 2 Type II examination report. No FedRAMP, IRAP or ISO 27001 today.
- Aona has no MCP gateway. Agent and MCP traffic is inspected on the endpoint app, not through a proxy.
Harmonic Security
- No self-serve trial: the site routes to a demo request, and deployment follows a demo-led contract (as of September 2026).
- File redaction is not claimed: the DLP page describes real-time prompt redaction, so a document with sensitive fields is blocked or allowed rather than redacted in place with its layout intact (as of September 2026).
- Desktop coverage is a named list, Claude Desktop, ChatGPT Desktop, Cursor, Codex, Claude Code, GitHub Copilot and Ollama; the Copilot desktop app is not on it (as of September 2026).
- The actions described are block, warn and silent log; a block that the employee cannot override is not documented, so confirm the override behaviour of each policy (as of September 2026).
- EU hosting is offered on request; the region list, the default processing location beyond on-device detection, SIEM connectors and DPA terms are not publicly documented (as of September 2026).
Security review facts
Ready for your security review.
Certifications, data handling, and residency for both vendors, answered up front so your GRC and legal review can start from this page.
Certifications
Aona
SOC 2 Type II (observation period to January 2026, report issued March 2026; trust center at trust.aona.ai). No FedRAMP or IRAP today.
Harmonic Security
SOC 2 Type 2, ISO 27001:2022, ISO 42001:2023, HIPAA and NIST AI RMF listed on the trust centre. As of September 2026.
Trial
Aona
Free for 30 days. Start with a scoping conversation; access is arranged after deployment requirements are confirmed.
Harmonic Security
No self-serve trial: demo-led, with the site routing to a demo request. As of September 2026.
Where prompts are processed
Aona
Choose backend hosting separately from Aona prompt processing. Host the backend in your cloud, on your premises or on Aona-managed servers. Process prompts on the user device/on-edge, in your cloud or on-premises, or on Aona-managed servers. Confirm the supported configuration, retention, telemetry and integrations for your rollout; these choices do not change a third-party AI provider's data handling.
Harmonic Security
Harmonic states detection runs on-device via small language models with sub-200ms judgments. Server-side handling beyond that is not publicly documented (as of July 2026).
Data residency
Aona
Aona-managed backend hosting has seven regions: Australia, France, UK, Germany, US, Singapore and Hong Kong. Select prompt processing separately; confirm storage, retention, telemetry and any cross-region transfers for the supported configuration. Third-party AI providers have their own data handling.
Harmonic Security
EU hosting available on request, per the home page. Region list and default location not publicly documented. As of September 2026.
DPA and security docs
Aona
DPA available on request. Trust center at trust.aona.ai, security overview at aona.ai/security. SOC 2 report under NDA.
Harmonic Security
Trust centre lists certifications; DPA terms are not publicly documented. As of September 2026.
Competitor facts come from public documentation and pricing pages. Where a vendor does not publish a fact, we say so rather than guess. Corrections: trust@aona.ai.
Migrating from Harmonic Security
Make the move to Aona.
Aona replaces a demo-led AI DLP evaluation with a 30-day guided trial on your own devices: push the plugin and the endpoint app with your existing deployment tooling, pick a hosting region, and see the first prompt and upload decisions during the agreed evaluation. Both products deploy on the endpoint, so Aona runs next to Harmonic during the trial without network changes. Compare hard-block behaviour, redacted files and the desktop apps each one covers, then move AI enforcement to Aona.
What you keep
- Your identity provider: Aona connects Microsoft Entra for admin SSO and user or group sync, or generic OIDC or SAML
- Your deployment tooling (Intune, Jamf or equivalent), which pushes Aona's plugin and endpoint app
- Your network allow-list for AI domains; Aona adds the decision on the prompt and the upload behind it
What Aona replaces
- The demo-led evaluation, replaced by a 30-day guided trial and a first signal during the agreed evaluation
- Prompt-only redaction, replaced by layout-preserving DOCX, XLSX and PDF redaction on upload
- Manual policy authoring, replaced by EU AI Act, ISO 42001, SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA and GDPR templates
What you turn off
- Duplicate browser DLP extensions on the same browser once Aona owns the AI prompt
- Manual incident triage where Aona's per-team violation trends cover the reporting
Sources & review notes ↗Page updated:
Aona publishes these comparisons to explain its fit for employee AI use. Competitor facts come from public documentation, are dated, and are stated as mechanisms you can verify. Corrections: trust@aona.ai.
- Harmonic Security platform
Product reference: Current workforce AI governance, control and product-preview offer. This overview is not independent test evidence for every granular comparison claim.
- Aona coverage and deployment scope
Aona's client and action boundaries; validate the configuration and actual policy result during your Aona pilot.
Start with the trial
See Aona's hard block and file redaction on your own devices
Free for 30 days. Start with a scoping conversation; access is arranged after deployment requirements are confirmed.
FAQ
Common questions from Harmonic Security customers
Do I need Aona if I already have Harmonic Security?
Yes, if the policy has to hold on the file as well as the prompt. Aona hard-blocks prompts and uploads with no user override and redacts DOCX, XLSX and PDF files in place with the layout intact; Harmonic Security claims prompt redaction and does not claim file redaction (as of September 2026). Aona also covers the ChatGPT, Copilot and Claude desktop apps through its endpoint app, lets you choose one of seven hosting regions, and streams to Microsoft Sentinel via OCSF. Run the 30-day trial next to Harmonic Security on the same devices and compare the decisions.
Are Aona and Harmonic Security solving the same problem?
Yes: both secure employees' use of third-party AI tools with discovery, prompt-level DLP, policy enforcement and coaching. Aona offers a 30-day guided trial, a hard block with no user override, layout-preserving file redaction, native desktop coverage for ChatGPT, Copilot and Claude, and seven hosting regions. Harmonic Security is sold through a demo, offers no self-serve trial and claims prompt redaction only (as of September 2026).
Does Harmonic Security redact files the way Aona does?
Aona redacts DOCX, XLSX and PDF files on upload with the layout preserved and length-matched entity replacement, so the assistant receives a usable document without the sensitive fields. Harmonic Security's DLP page claims real-time prompt redaction; file or document redaction is not claimed (as of September 2026). Upload the same contract to both during the Aona trial and compare what the assistant receives.
How does Aona's trial compare to Harmonic Security's evaluation path?
Aona starts with a 30-day guided trial: IT pushes the browser plugin and the endpoint app with its existing deployment tooling, you pick one of seven hosting regions at signup and the first signal arrives during the agreed evaluation. Harmonic Security is demo-led: its site routes to a demo request, deployment follows a demo-led contract and there is no self-serve trial (as of September 2026). Confirm Aona’s deployment requirements before arranging the pilot.
Does Aona cover the desktop apps and agents Harmonic Security lists?
Aona's endpoint app covers the ChatGPT, Copilot and Claude desktop apps on Windows and macOS, and inspects AI agents and MCP servers on the device in a limited rollout. Harmonic Security names Claude Desktop, ChatGPT Desktop, Cursor, Codex, Claude Code, GitHub Copilot and Ollama and ships an MCP gateway; Aona does not claim Cursor or Codex interception today. For employees' use of ChatGPT, Copilot and Claude, Aona applies one hard block and one file redaction across the browser and the desktop app, so start the trial there and add the agent scope as it reaches general availability.