Keynote: Vulnerability Research in the Agentic Age
Yan Shoshitaishvili
Black Hat USA 2026 · Day 1 · Main Stage
In this thought-provoking Black Hat USA keynote, Dr. Yan Shoshitaishvili, an Associate Professor at Arizona State University and a veteran of the Capture The Flag (CTF) community, delved into the profound impact of the "Agentic Age" on vulnerability research. The talk explored how advanced AI models and autonomous agents are not merely augmenting human capabilities but are fundamentally reshaping the landscape of software security, from discovery to disclosure. Shoshitaishvili, known for his pioneering work on tools like Angr, presented a compelling vision of a future where vulnerability discovery scales at an unprecedented rate, challenging established norms and demanding new approaches to defense.
AI review
Yan delivers a substantive, experience-grounded argument for why vulnerability properties matter more than raw LLM capability, backed by real numbers (1000+ kernel LPEs, 10x discovery rate). The talk earns its slot by saying things most academics won't — that disclosure is broken, that Rust rewrites still ship CVEs, that restricting model access hurts defenders. It's not a research drop, but it's not trying to be one.