Oliver Sild

a16z @a16z · 4d

AI can now help turn a published fix into a working exploit in hours. Patching still takes weeks, and for many old routers, cameras, and supermarket fridges, a fix never arrives.

"So the question isn't how to patch faster. It's how to stop needing to."

Six openings for new cybersecurity companies today, each one making patching "unnecessary, or someone else's job":

1. Live fixes: blocks an exploit on running systems within hours, then has AI write and ship the real code fix

2. An AI first responder: spots attacks without hand-written rules and contains them as they unfold

3. Per-request access: checks every request from a person or their AI agents, with credentials that expire in minutes

4. Proven recovery: keeps restoring your backups in a sealed-off test environment to prove they work, with records insurers will accept

5. An install gateway: holds and sandboxes every package, extension and AI agent tool before it can run

6. Security for the long tail: one managed service for water utilities, clinics and others that will never have a security team

Full piece from a16z's Asaf Ezra and Steph Zhang: a16z.news/p/defense-in-d…

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