RSAC 2026: N-Able Report Reveals Why AI-Powered, Layered Cyber Defense Is Essential for Business Resilience

Key Takeaways

• AI automates 90% of investigation activity.
• Network/perimeter alerts constitute 18% of total.
• SOAR workflows up 500% year‑over‑year.
• Endpoint‑only detection would miss 137,187 threats.
• SOC processed 900,000 alerts, two per minute.

Pulse Analysis

The 2026 State of the SOC report from N‑able highlights a notable shift back to network‑level threats, reversing the endpoint‑centric focus that dominated the early 2020s. Perimeter infrastructure now accounts for 18% of alerts, revealing blind spots that traditional endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools cannot cover. This resurgence forces security leaders to broaden visibility across firewalls, routers, and unified threat management devices, integrating them into a unified monitoring strategy that reflects the full attack surface.

Automation is the linchpin of the modern SOC. With AI handling roughly 90% of investigative steps, analysts transition from manual triage to strategic decision‑making and threat hunting. The 500% surge in SOAR‑driven workflows illustrates how orchestration platforms can execute containment actions at machine speed, dramatically reducing dwell time and operational fatigue. Companies that invest in AI‑powered detection and response not only keep pace with the two‑alerts‑per‑minute velocity but also free skilled personnel to focus on higher‑order risk mitigation.

For executives, the report translates into a clear business imperative: layered, AI‑enabled security is no longer optional but foundational to resilience. Organizations that rely solely on endpoint monitoring would have missed over 137,000 network and perimeter incidents, exposing critical assets to prolonged exposure. By adopting a defense‑in‑depth model—combining perimeter sensors, endpoint telemetry, and automated response—enterprises can shrink breach windows, protect revenue streams, and sustain operational continuity in an increasingly hostile cyber landscape.