PANW · News · 20260805N

AI Security Platform Expansion

Palo Alto Networks Inc · 2026-08-05 · Importance 49 · Surprise 42

Palo Alto Networks introduced PAN-OS 12.2 Ceres, a major software release with more than 55 innovations, on August 4, 2026. The release adds Advanced Virtual Patching, Advanced IP Defense, and AI-powered Network Security Agents designed to protect against AI-driven exploits and automate network administration. Unit 42’s NOVA system identified more than 14,000 previously unreported vulnerabilities in open-source projects, supporting the company’s shift toward machine-speed, preemptive security.

Key facts

• Unit 42's NOVA analyzed 3,915 open-source projects and found 14,090 confirmed vulnerabilities in two months, 99.4% of which were previously unknown and 40% were high or critical severity. source
• At Black Hat, Palo Alto Networks demonstrated that NOVA found over 14,000 zero-day flaws in two months, with most being high or critical severity logic-based bugs that traditional scanners miss. source