The Rise of the Autonomous Blue Team with Vineet Edupuganti

Hacker Valley Studio

What if defenders had their own AI-powered task force, always on, always adapting, and finally one step ahead of attackers?

In this episode, Ron welcomes Vineet Edupuganti, Founder and CEO of Cogent Security, to discuss how AI agents are rewriting the rules of cybersecurity. Vineet shares why traditional vulnerability management is fundamentally broken, why exposure management matters more than ever, and how Cogent is building an “AI Task Force” to give defenders the edge. From his early days in machine learning to reshaping the future of cyber defense, Vineet breaks down the urgent need for automation, context-driven insights, and explainable AI in security.

Impactful Moments:
00:00 - Introduction
02:00 - Vineet’s journey into AI and cyber
04:30 - Why vulnerability management is broken
06:10 - Generative AI as a defender’s edge
08:20 - Why AI agents outperform brittle automation
09:45 - The first use cases for Cogent’s agents
12:00 - Rethinking tier-one SOC analyst roles
13:30 - The rise of exposure management (CTEM)
17:10 - Cogent’s vision for an AI task force
18:30 - Early wins and insights with Cogent
20:00 - Biggest misconceptions about AI in security
23:00 - What enterprises should demand from vendors
25:00 - Why explainability is essential in AI systems
27:00 - Startups vs incumbents in cybersecurity innovation
29:30 - Why enterprises must invest in AI now

Links:
Connect with our guest, Vineet Edupuganti, on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vineetedupuganti

Learn more about Cogent Security: https://www.cogent.security

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