Cisco Revolutionizes Cybersecurity with AI Innovations and Strategic Partnerships at RSA 2025

Introduction

Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO), a global leader in technology and cybersecurity, has once again positioned itself at the forefront of digital defense with a series of groundbreaking announcements aimed at securing the AI-powered future. At the RSA Conference 2025, Cisco introduced several new tools, partnerships, and open-source contributions that aim to simplify AI adoption, enhance threat detection, and improve cybersecurity resilience for businesses across the globe.

Why This Matters

The cybersecurity landscape is becoming more complex with the rise of AI-powered attacks, increasing digital transformation, and a global talent shortage in security operations. According to Cisco’s 2025 Cybersecurity Readiness Index, 86% of companies experienced AI-related security incidents in the last year. Cisco’s innovations directly address these growing challenges.

Key Highlights from Cisco’s Announcements

1. Cisco XDR Enhancements with Agentic AI

Cisco has updated its Extended Detection and Response (XDR) platform with powerful AI features that help security teams detect and stop threats faster and more accurately.

Key Features:

• Instant Attack Verification: Automatically investigates threats by analyzing data from networks, endpoints, threat intelligence, and Splunk integration.

• Automated XDR Forensics: Increases accuracy with deep insights into endpoint activity.

• XDR Storyboard: A visual tool to understand attack patterns and respond quickly.

2. Deepened Partnership with Splunk

Cisco has integrated its XDR platform with Splunk Enterprise Security (ES) and SOAR (Security Orchestration, Automation, and Response) to improve incident detection and response times.

Benefits:

• Unified visibility across network and endpoints

• Automated workflows for faster resolution

• Enhanced threat detection using Splunk’s analytics engine

3. Foundation AI: Open-Source Reasoning Model for Cybersecurity

Cisco introduced "Foundation AI"—the world’s first open-source reasoning model designed specifically to enhance security.

Core Features:

• Built using Llama 3 and trained on 200 billion tokens

• Optimized for security applications like threat detection and analysis

• Benchmarked with real-world security tasks for practical use

This open-source model allows security teams to build their own AI-powered solutions and encourages collaboration among developers and analysts.

4. Secure AI Adoption with ServiceNow Integration

To support secure and scalable AI deployment, Cisco has partnered with ServiceNow to integrate Cisco AI Defense with ServiceNow’s Security Operations (SecOps).

Use Case:

• Helps businesses manage and govern AI risks

• Centralizes AI security incidents for easier tracking and response

• Promotes secure scaling of AI initiatives across large enterprises

5. AI Supply Chain Risk Management

AI models can be compromised before deployment, especially when sourced from public repositories. Cisco’s new security controls address these risks.

Capabilities:

• Detect and block malicious or tampered AI models

• Ensure open-source license compliance

• Enforce supplier verification to prevent unauthorized model use

6. Enhanced Industrial IoT Security

Cisco expanded its Industrial Threat Defense solution to secure critical infrastructure, factories, and smart environments.

Features:

• Cisco Secure Firewall: Automates network segmentation

• Cyber Vision + Splunk Asset Intelligence: Prioritizes OT (Operational Technology) risks

• Unified IT & OT Visibility: Helps detect cross-domain threats within industrial networks

Real-World Applications Table

Conclusion

Cisco's new security innovations are built for the AI era. With cutting-edge features in Cisco XDR, new open-source tools like Foundation AI, and strategic partnerships with leaders like Splunk and ServiceNow, Cisco is empowering businesses to build stronger, more secure digital foundations.

These innovations don’t just protect against today’s threats—they prepare organizations for the evolving risks of tomorrow.

FAQs

What is Cisco's main focus in cybersecurity for 2025?

Cisco aims to secure the rapidly growing use of AI in business by delivering advanced tools that both protect AI systems and use AI to detect and respond to threats.

How is Cisco using AI to improve cybersecurity?

Cisco integrates agentic AI into its security platforms to automate threat detection, analysis, and response, allowing faster decision-making and reduced workload for security teams.

What is agentic AI in Cisco’s security framework?

Agentic AI refers to AI systems that can independently assess, investigate, and respond to cyber threats using context-aware reasoning and automation.

What is Cisco XDR and how does it work?

Cisco XDR (Extended Detection and Response) collects and correlates data across networks, endpoints, and cloud environments to identify threats and provide fast, automated responses.

What new features has Cisco added to its XDR platform?

New features include Instant Attack Verification, XDR Forensics, and XDR Storyboard for faster threat detection, detailed investigations, and better threat visualization.

How does Instant Attack Verification in Cisco XDR help security teams?

It automates threat validation by pulling in data from multiple sources, confirming real attacks, and enabling quick, confident responses.

What is the role of Splunk in Cisco’s latest security updates?

Splunk integrates with Cisco XDR to provide advanced analytics, automate responses, and give security teams greater visibility into complex threats.

What is Splunk SOAR 6.4 and how does it benefit organizations?

Splunk SOAR 6.4 automates threat response workflows, improving efficiency and reducing response times across security operations.

How do Cisco and Splunk work together to improve threat detection?

Together, they offer combined telemetry, analytics, and automation capabilities to detect threats early and coordinate effective responses.

What does the XDR Storyboard feature do in Cisco’s platform?

It visualizes multi-step attacks clearly, helping security teams quickly understand and respond to evolving threats.

How does Cisco’s cybersecurity approach help with alert fatigue?

Cisco XDR prioritizes threats by using AI to highlight only meaningful alerts, reducing the number of false positives and unnecessary investigations.

What is Cisco’s Foundation AI and why is it important?

Foundation AI is a team within Cisco focused on creating open-source security models and tools that enhance cybersecurity in the AI age.

What does the open-source reasoning model by Cisco Foundation AI do?

It allows organizations to apply intelligent reasoning in security applications, improving their ability to understand and respond to cyber threats.

What kind of AI benchmarks is Cisco Foundation AI releasing?

Cisco is launching new benchmarks to test AI security models against real-world threats and use cases, ensuring practical effectiveness.

What are Cisco’s AI Supply Chain Risk Management controls?

These controls protect organizations from risks in AI software supply chains by identifying malicious, non-compliant, or unauthorized AI models.

How does Cisco protect against malicious AI models?

Cisco scans AI models for malware, risky code, or non-compliant licensing before they are deployed, ensuring safer integration into business systems.

How does Cisco address compliance risks in AI models?

It identifies AI content with restrictive or risky licenses and blocks their use to prevent legal or regulatory issues.

What role does ServiceNow play in Cisco’s AI security roadmap?

ServiceNow integrates with Cisco AI Defense to improve governance, incident management, and security automation for AI-related risks.

How does Cisco’s integration with ServiceNow SecOps enhance governance?

It offers a unified view of AI security posture and enables coordinated risk mitigation and incident response across enterprise environments.

Why is Cisco focusing on both 'Security for AI' and 'AI for Security'?

Cisco believes securing AI applications and using AI to improve security are both essential in today’s threat landscape.

What is the significance of Cisco’s Industrial Threat Defense update?

It expands Cisco’s cybersecurity capabilities into operational technology environments, helping protect industrial and infrastructure systems.

How is Cisco improving Industrial IoT security?

By integrating with tools like Cisco Secure Firewall and Splunk, Cisco enhances visibility and segmentation to safeguard industrial networks.

What tools help Cisco prioritize OT (Operational Technology) cyber risks?

Cisco uses Vulnerability Management and Splunk Asset Intelligence to identify and prioritize risks in operational environments.

What is Cisco Cyber Vision and how is it integrated in the new update?

Cyber Vision helps detect and monitor industrial assets, and it is now integrated with Splunk and Cisco XDR for complete visibility.

How does Cisco automate industrial network segmentation?

Using Cisco Secure Firewall and other tools, Cisco can isolate industrial devices based on risk, reducing attack surfaces automatically.

What are Cisco's plans to address the cybersecurity talent shortage?

Cisco’s AI-powered solutions reduce manual work and boost productivity, enabling smaller teams to manage complex security environments.

Why is AI crucial in the fight against modern cyber threats?

AI enables faster detection, automated responses, and better scalability, helping organizations stay ahead of evolving attacks.

What industries benefit most from Cisco's latest security tools?

Industries like finance, healthcare, manufacturing, and government benefit from Cisco’s scalable and AI-driven security tools.

Where can enterprises access Cisco's new security solutions?

They can access Cisco’s full range of security tools, updates, and documentation.

How is Cisco helping companies scale AI securely and efficiently?

Cisco provides tools, partnerships, and governance frameworks that allow businesses to adopt AI with confidence and control.