Securing the Agentic Enterprise: Part 1 - Updating IDC's Cybersecurity Capabilities Assessment Framework for the AI Age

This IDC Perspective updates IDC's Cybersecurity Capabilities Assessment Framework for the era of agentic AI, emphasizing that while security fundamentals persist, control must shift to continuous, identity-driven governance. It details how agentic AI introduces new external, internal, and emergent risks, requiring recalibration across all security domains. The framework's maturity phases and domains are reexamined for agentic environments, and actionable recommendations are provided to help technology buyers adapt, prioritize identity-centric controls, and maintain resilience amid ongoing disruption."While the fundamentals of security remain unchanged, agentic AI profoundly alters the threat landscape. The greatest risk is not external attack, but self-inflicted disruption from poorly governed agents. Enterprises must treat continuous disruption as the new normal and recalibrate their security strategies accordingly,"said Duncan Brown, group vice president, Worldwide Security Products, Worldwide Sustainability at IDC.