Blog · 10 November 2026 · 6 min read
Who can get into your local AI: access and confidentiality
A local AI keeps documents and conversations inside the company. There is, however, one question every business owner asks before signing: can whoever installed it get in whenever they like? Here is how the supplier's access should be organised, and what to check.
In short: the data stays on the company's computer and the supplier keeps no copies of it. Its access must be separate, personal and switched off: you turn it on when an intervention is needed and turn it off at the end. Every entry is logged on the machine and you can consult it. Disk, backup and the connection from outside are encrypted. If the working relationship ends, you disable the access and change the passwords: from that moment nobody can get in any more.
Where is the data, and who can see it?
It is on the company's computer, and only those with an account on that computer can see it. With a local AI the model runs on a server or a Mac at your premises: questions, answers and documents are not sent off to an external service.
It is not a promise from the supplier, it is how the programs work. The documentation for Ollama, the program that runs the models, says so explicitly: when you use it locally, those who develop it see neither the requests nor the data. The same goes for the chat interface, Open WebUI, which saves accounts and conversations on the machine it is installed on.
Inside the company, permissions then apply: each person has their own account, and groups are used to decide who can use which document archives. We cover this in the guide on how to connect the AI to your company documents.
Please note: even tools designed for local use now offer "cloud" models, which run on the vendor's servers. If the aim is to keep data on site, they should be excluded from the configuration. It is one of the first things to ask about.
Can the supplier get in whenever they like?
No, if the installation is done properly: they get in only when you allow it. To update the programs or solve a problem the technician has to connect to the machine, but that does not require access that is always open.
The right set-up has four features:
- Access separate from yours. The computer's administrator account and that of the chat interface belong to the company from day one. The supplier works with a distinct user of its own.
- Personal access. It is assigned to a specific person, the one who looks after your project, not to "support" in general. That way you always know who has been in.
- Access that is switched off. It stays disabled. When an intervention is needed you turn it on, and when the work is finished you turn it off.
- Access that goes through a private network. The connection is made over an encrypted VPN, never with ports open to the internet.
On a Mac, for example, remote access is turned on and off with a switch in the sharing settings, and can be limited to chosen users instead of everyone. On a Linux server the same result is achieved by enabling the supplier's user only for the duration of the intervention.
Is access logged?
Yes: every entry leaves a trace on the machine, and the company can consult it. The operating system records who connected and when, on both Mac and Linux; the private network also keeps the list of authorised devices.
One thing matters above all: the log is on your computer, not on the supplier's. At handover, have them show you where it is and how to read it, and have it written into the documentation.
The health signal that some suppliers offer is a different matter: a periodic check that says only "the system is on and responding", useful for noticing a fault before you do. It must be optional and must not contain documents, conversations or text. If you would rather not even that left the machine, it can be switched off.
How are the disk, the backup and the connection from outside protected?
With encryption, at three different points. Its purpose is to make sure the data stays unreadable even if someone takes away the computer or the backup disk, or intercepts the connection.
| What | How it is protected | What it protects against |
|---|---|---|
| Computer disk | Disk encryption: FileVault on Mac, LUKS on Linux | Theft of the machine |
| Backup | Encrypted backup drive, with its own password | Theft or loss of the drive |
| Connection from outside | End-to-end encrypted VPN | Interception on the network |
On the Mac, FileVault asks for the login password to unlock the data and generates a recovery key. Apple warns that, if both the password and the key are lost, the data is lost for good: the key must be kept by the company, in a place other than the computer, and not only by the supplier.
The same principle applies to the backup. An unencrypted external drive exposes all the data to anyone who picks it up.
What to put in writing
A written agreement is needed, because during installation and support the technician may see company data. Three things:
- A confidentiality undertaking covering everything the supplier sees, valid even after the relationship has ended.
- The access rules: who gets in, with which user, only with your authorisation, and that no data is copied to the supplier's systems.
- A data processing agreement, if that data includes information about people (customers, employees, suppliers). Article 28 of the GDPR requires the relationship with anyone processing data on the company's behalf to be governed by a contract setting out the duration, purpose, type of data and security measures.
For the legal side it is worth involving whoever handles privacy in the company: the documents depend on the data the AI will actually process.
What local AI does not solve
Keeping the data on site reduces the risks, it does not eliminate them. Three limits to be aware of:
- During an intervention the technician can see the data. Anyone with administrator permissions on a machine can, technically, read its contents. That is why time-limited access, the log and the confidentiality undertaking matter: trust isn't eliminated, it is made verifiable.
- Internal security remains the company's responsibility. Weak passwords, accounts shared between colleagues or a computer left in a room open to everyone defeat any encryption.
- Local does not mean automatically compliant. Privacy notices, rules of use and who can upload what still have to be defined.
How we organise access in our projects
In Dabryx projects the administrator accounts are handed over to the company on the day of installation, which we carry out in person, on site, throughout Italy. We work with a separate, personal user that stays switched off: you activate it when you ask for an intervention.
We sign a confidentiality undertaking before starting, we keep no copies of your data and we show you where to read the access log. If one day you decide to carry on by yourself or with another technician, you disable our user, change the passwords and the system keeps working as before.
You will find the full service on the Local AI for businesses page. If you would like to understand how it would apply to your situation, write to us.
Sources
- Ollama – FAQ: running locally, data and default listening address
- Open WebUI – roles, permissions and groups
- Apple – Allow a remote computer to access your Mac (Remote Login)
- Apple – Protect data on your Mac with FileVault
- Apple – Keep your Time Machine backup disk secure
- Tailscale – Connection types: end-to-end encrypted connections with WireGuard
- Garante Privacy – Contractual relationships between controller and processor (Art. 28 GDPR)
About the author: Dabryx
Dabryx is an Italian software house that installs local AI in companies, on site across Italy, on servers or Macs. The basic installation starts at €2,900, hardware not included, and consulting at €100 per hour. The office is in Rocca Priora, near Rome.
We also install local AI in Rome, Milan, Parma and Reggio Emilia, and we develop custom management systems and custom software.
Frequently asked questions
Can whoever installs the local AI read my documents?
Only during an intervention that you have authorised, and only with their personal user. The supplier's access stays switched off and you activate it when needed. Every entry is logged on the machine and the confidentiality undertaking covers everything the technician sees.
Can I remove the supplier's access at any time?
Yes. You disable their user and their device on the private network, then change the administrator passwords. From that point on they can no longer get in, and the AI keeps working because it does not depend on their systems.
Does the system send data outside for monitoring?
At most a signal saying that the machine is on and responding, with no documents or conversations. It is optional: if you prefer nothing to leave, it can be switched off.
Is a privacy contract needed with whoever installs the local AI?
Yes. A confidentiality undertaking is needed and, if the supplier can access personal data during maintenance, a data processing agreement as provided for by Article 28 of the GDPR.
Want an estimate for your company?
Tell us how many people will use the AI and what for: we'll tell you which configuration you need.
Response times
Within 2 hours on business days (9:00–18:00) for clients with a support contract.
AI consulting
Basic installation from €2,900, consultancy from €100 per hour, on your company's server or Mac.
Where we work
Throughout Italy: we come on site to the client's premises and also support you remotely.