SOC 2.0: Less triage, more treachery
Abstract
The landscape of cyber security is locked in a symmetric and rapidly accelerating artificial intelligence (AI) arms race. This paper examines the paradigm shift away from traditional, human-centric security operations centres (SOCs), which are untenable against machine-speed threats, towards an AI-augmented model. For defenders, AI is a core requirement for resilience, enabling automated alert triage and behavioural analytics that reduce costs and analyst burnout. Concurrently, adversaries weaponise AI for adaptive malware and, most critically, adversarial machine learning (AdML) attacks designed to corrupt defensive models. The paper posits that the most effective operational model is a human–machine teaming paradigm where AI amplifies human expertise. Navigating this new era requires a governance-first approach, and the paper concludes by recommending the adoption of frameworks such as the NIST AI Risk Management Framework (AI RMF) and MITRE ATLAS to ensure the secure and sustainable integration of AI in cyber security. This article is also included in The Business & Management Collection which can be accessed at https://hstalks.com/business/.
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Author's Biography
Yashwanth Reddy Mallu is an independent cyber security engineer and security researcher based in Hyderabad, India. He holds a Bachelor of Engineering in computer science with a specialisation in cyber security from Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University. Yashwanth possesses a strong, practical background in offensive security, actively contributing as a bug bounty hunter on platforms such as Bugcrowd and HackerOne. He channels this hands-on experience in vulnerability discovery into his research, which focuses on the other side of the conflict: the evolution of defensive security operations. Yashwanth’s primary research interests include the strategic impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on cyber security, the rise of adversarial machine learning (AdML), and the development of robust artificial intelligence governance. He is passionate about bridging the gap between offensive security tactics and modern defensive strategy. As a freelance researcher, he is not affiliated with any specific organisation or university.
