AI agents drive cybersecurity risks and new autonomous defense solutions

A new research report from Digital Workforce Security highlights growing risks associated with autonomous AI agents in German companies. The findings reveal that 78 percent of German cybersecurity officers are already using AI agents, with 62 percent operating them autonomously. However, a lack of governance poses significant threats, as 48 percent of organizations report that their AI usage is either unauthorized or unregulated, creating a phenomenon known as ‘shadow AI.’

The report also notes the rising impact of deepfakes, with 87 percent of German employees stating that voice and video deepfakes have become indistinguishable from reality. Additionally, 55 percent of respondents admitted they could be deceived by deepfake fraud in a professional setting.

In response to the expanding attack surface created by AI, ServiceNow has introduced six integrated solutions under its Autonomous Security vision. These tools aim to provide AI-native cyber defense by addressing exposure management, vulnerability detection, and agent-based incident response. The goal is to enable companies to manage risks at machine speed, centralizing the control of assets, identities, and AI agents to counter the complexity of modern digital environments.