Agentic Orange

I started this week with a bit of FOMO since I am missing from GSX this year, but then I realized that, other than a bevy of new product releases, I could probably guess what this year's new show buzzword is.

My bet? Agentic AI. I can’t seem to open an email in the last month without the phrase being embedded somewhere in the content. So even though I’m not there in person, walking the floor, I can well imagine the type of conversations I’m missing out on. To that point all the really poignant security news is happening out in the world at large this week (as it often is).

As a matter of fact, while I'm writing this it looks like we’ll be facing a government shutdown here in the United States. What does that mean in a practical sense for the security industry? On its face, nothing. But there’s great concern about the shutdown causing vital jobs working at the CISA to be sent home (forever?), about 65% of its staff roughly.

That’s on top of several other related concerns including the agency’s termination of its cooperative agreement with the Center for Internet Security (CIS). That means its partnership of 20 years increasing security for state, local, tribal, and territorial organizations is out the window.

My friends, it falls to me to remind you that this is the start of National Cybersecurity Awareness Month.

If you want to envision a truly spooky Halloween season, try to imagine what all those ransomware groups and state sponsored hackers are going to do with their shiny new AI agents this October.

I think it will be treats for them, and tricks for us.