As AI-driven threats escalate, security researchers and ethical hackers are reshaping the boundaries of AI security and enterprise protection. This evolving threat landscape is prompting organizations to rethink traditional architectures and accelerate the adoption of adaptive frameworks that address vulnerabilities.

Details around how offensive AI is reshaping security strategies and how defenders are reacting will be a main focus of the Black Hat USA event. Heading into the event, it’s all about the rubber meeting the road, according to Jackie McGuire, security practice lead and principal analyst with theCUBE Research.

“We’ve been talking about AI in security and security for AI for ages, but now we’re seeing its real-world impact, for better or worse,” McGuire said. “I’m excited to talk to practitioners and see how organizations are truly leveraging AI for automated data classification and identification, and how that’s shifting their zero-trust strategies.”

McGuire will explore the latest news and developments around AI security at the event. Join theCUBE, SiliconANGLE Media’s livestreaming studio, on Aug. 8 for our esclusive coverage of Black Hat USA. (* Disclosure below.)

AI security in focus

Across the cybersecurity landscape, organizations have been racing to harness AI as rising threat complexity outpaces human-driven detection and response. Earlier this year, privileged access management firm Delinea Inc. found that more than two-thirds of organizations faced ransomware breaches last year.

With this evolving landscape in mind, Google LLC has focused on showcasing the power of agentic AI to autonomously detect threats, prevent attacks and accelerate response across complex environments. Cloud-based cybersecurity company Zscaler Inc., meanwhile, has been focused on a “zero trust everywhere” approach, with an eye toward expanding the principle to reimagine how companies secure users, workloads and third-party relationships.

Cybersecurity tech company CrowdStrike Inc. also sees cybersecurity innovation hitting warp speed with agentic AI. What’s taking place is that this new era represents a complete redefinition of how cyber defense works, according to Daniel Bernard, chief business officer of CrowdStrike Inc.

“Cybersecurity has turned into an AI race,” Bernard told theCUBE. “Every single agent needs protection. If you look at the attack surface, it’s on an exponential rise. If you look at the amount of data that’s being produced in a day, let alone in an hour, it used to be what was produced in a year.”

Search and analytics engine Elasticsearch has been focused on process, transparency and actionable data unlocking the simplicity security teams need to get ahead. It’s important to invest in one’s process first, according to Mike Nichols, vice president of product management at Elastic.

“Maybe it’s blasphemous to hear a product person say that, from a software vendor. Training your team on how to use the products, giving them the time and space to actually use them properly, it makes a big difference,” Nichols told theCUBE.

The Black Hat USA event will be an opportunity to hear from plenty of other data platform experts, software engineers, analysts and investors. Heading into the event, it’s important to take note of where the automation hype ends and the operational reality begins for our Security Operations Centers, according to McGuire.

“Beyond the tech, I’ll be looking for concrete examples of how security is moving from a cost center to a critical business enabler, directly impacting organizational health and financial outcomes,” she said. “It’s time to cut through the noise and focus on actionable solutions that deliver tangible results.”

These subjects and more will be a main focus of the Black Hat USA event. TheCUBE will provide full coverage of the event while providing analyst-driven commentary about enterprise security. You can follow theCUBE’s wall-to-wall coverage for firsthand insights.

TheCUBE event livestream

Don’t miss theCUBE’s coverage of the Black Hat USA event on Aug. 8. Plus, you can watch theCUBE’s event coverage on-demand after the live event.

How to watch theCUBE interviews

We offer you various ways to watch theCUBE’s coverage of the Black Hat USA event, including theCUBE’s dedicated website and YouTube channel. You can also get all the coverage from this year’s events on SiliconANGLE.

TheCUBE Insights podcast

SiliconANGLE also has podcasts available of archived interview sessions, available on iTunes, Stitcher and Spotify, which you can enjoy while on the go.

SiliconANGLE also has analyst deep dives in our Breaking Analysis podcast, available on iTunes, Stitcher and Spotify.

Guests

During the Black Hat USA event, theCUBE analysts will facilitate insightful conversations with industry professionals, including experts from Delinea, Zscaler, Elasticsearch, Knox Systems Inc., Keyfactor Inc., Axonius Inc., Bitdefender Inc. and more.

(* Disclosure: Sponsors of theCUBE’s event coverage do not have editorial control over content on theCUBE or SiliconANGLE.)

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