PHILADELPHIA, PA — Specops, a subsidiary of cybersecurity company Outpost24, has launched an authentication interface that allows businesses to verify employee identities before AI chatbots execute sensitive requests, addressing impersonation risks as organizations give automated systems greater control over internal operations.
The Specops Authentication API integrates identity verification into AI chatbots, IT service management platforms and other automated workflows, allowing companies to authenticate users before processing requests involving passwords, account access or other sensitive functions.
The technology targets a security vulnerability emerging as businesses expand the use of artificial intelligence beyond answering questions to performing administrative tasks traditionally handled by employees or IT support personnel.
Without reliable identity verification, automated systems can potentially execute requests from individuals impersonating authorized employees, creating opportunities for unauthorized account access.
“Organizations are increasingly trusting AI chatbots to do more than answer questions. They’re giving them the ability to initiate actions that previously required a human employee,” said Darren James, senior product manager at Specops Software.
“But if those systems can’t reliably verify who is making a request, they risk automating the same impersonation vulnerabilities that attackers have been exploiting for years.”
The company cited a June 2026 disclosure by Meta involving a verification flaw in its AI-assisted Instagram account recovery system. According to Specops, attackers exploited the vulnerability to obtain password reset links for accounts they did not own, potentially affecting 20,225 accounts.
The incident illustrates the potential consequences of allowing automated systems to process sensitive account requests without sufficient identity verification.
Under the Specops system, an employee requesting a password reset through an internal AI chatbot can be prompted to verify their identity using an authentication method already associated with their account.
The API returns the verification result to the organization’s workflow, which can then approve the request, reject it or refer it for additional review. For password-related requests, the interface can also reset passwords or unlock accounts following successful authentication.
The system uses employees’ existing authentication methods rather than requiring them to install additional applications or enroll in new verification services.
Organizations must use Microsoft Active Directory to manage employee authentication enrollments, although the API can be integrated into different chatbot platforms, IT management systems and business applications.
Companies also retain control over which actions require verification and how requests are handled after authentication. Verification events are recorded to support security audits and accountability.
Beyond AI chatbots, the interface can be incorporated into IT service management platforms such as ServiceNow, employee onboarding procedures and other processes requiring identity confirmation.
The technology also supports employee-to-employee identity verification, providing another mechanism for reducing impersonation risks in workplace communications and administrative operations.
Specops supplies the API, technical documentation and underlying verification services, while customers develop integrations suited to their internal systems and security requirements.
“The challenge isn’t just making AI capable of taking action. It’s making sure the person requesting that action is who they claim to be,” James said. “Identity verification needs to be built into these workflows from the start, not treated as an afterthought.”
Specops provides password security, identity verification and access management services to more than 3,000 organizations across 65 countries. Its technology includes Active Directory integration and a database containing more than 6 billion compromised passwords that is updated daily.
Parent company Outpost24, founded in 2001 and headquartered in Sweden, operates globally through its exposure management and identity security businesses, with 14 offices worldwide, including locations in the United States and Europe.
Additional information about Specops is available at specopssoft.com.
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