EC-Council Launches ADG Framework to Secure Enterprise AI

The EC-Council launched the Adopt, Defend, Govern (ADG) AI framework and a free AI readiness self-assessment tool on May 29, 2026. Designed to help organizations secure and govern artificial intelligence at scale, the open, community-driven initiative provides a unified operating model consisting of three pillars, 12 minimum controls, and nine governance surfaces.

Developed with input from practitioners at Salesforce, Citi, Microsoft, JPMorgan Chase, KPMG, and Deloitte, the framework maps to global standards including the EU AI Act, ISO/IEC 42001, and the NIST AI Risk Management Framework. These alignments aim to address specific risks such as prompt injection and data poisoning. To support implementation, the council introduced three new certifications: Certified AI Program Manager, Certified Offensive AI Security Professional, and Certified Responsible AI Governance and Ethics Professional.

Group President Jay Bavisi stated the framework was created to restore operational discipline and accountability as organizations scale AI faster than they can securely govern them. Advisory board members emphasized that the model converts abstract standards into auditable practices and utilizes measurable indicators to move organizations toward actionable risk management.