Security at machine speed: why the SOC must be rebuilt for the AI era (www.techradar.com)

At the RSA Conference 2026, the SANS Institute revealed a pivotal shift in cybersecurity threats, highlighting that every attack method on their annual list now leverages AI. Demonstrations showcased AI-driven attacks capable of achieving full domain control in mere minutes, exposing a critical vulnerability in traditional cybersecurity frameworks that struggle to respond at the speed of these threats. As a result, organizations must not only enhance detection capabilities but also revamp their operational response strategies to match the rapid pace of AI-enabled attacks, which now exploit legitimate workflows and identity systems. To address this evolving threat landscape, a call for the transformation of Security Operations Centers (SOCs) into "Agentic SOCs" was made. This new model leverages AI to automate high-volume investigative tasks, collapsing detection and response into a continuous pipeline. By prioritizing execution velocity, organizations can break free from the constraints of lengthy procurement and deployment processes that leave them vulnerable to fast-moving threats. The emphasis is on building an agile security infrastructure that not only recognizes threats in real-time but can also dynamically adapt defenses, thus shifting the advantage back to defenders in the face of increasingly sophisticated and rapid AI-driven attacks.