Of course, organizations see risk. It’s just that they struggle to turn insight into timely, safe action. That gap is why exposure management has emerged, and also why it is now becoming a foundational security discipline. What the diagram makes clear is that risk doesn’t stay flat while organizations deliberate. From the moment an exposure is discovered and is reachable, exploitable, and known – the clock starts ticking. As time passes, environments change, dependencies grow, and attackers adapt faster. Remediation workflows fall behind. Manual coordination, unclear ownership, and fear of disruption all extend what is increasingly referred to as ‘exposure […]
Why the GSA OneGov Agreement Is a Game-Changer for Federal Cybersecurity
The mission to modernize government IT is accelerating at lightning speed, largely thanks to the transformative power of artificial intelligence (AI). Federal agencies are strategically leveraging AI to boost efficiency, enhance citizen services, and strengthen national security – a vision fully supported by the administration’s AI Action Plan.
At Palo Alto Networks, we are all-in on helping agencies deploy AI bravely and securely. Because the challenge isn't just about using AI for cyberdefense, but also about defending AI itself. We appreciate the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) recognizing the critical need for scalable, efficient solutions.
That is precisely why the GSA OneGov Initiative is a massive, game-changing step forward. We are proud to be the first pure-play cybersecurity vendor to secure a OneGov agreement with the GSA. This strategic alliance simplifies and standardizes the process for agencies to access our world-class, AI-powered security platform, ensuring security is foundational to this crucial modernization mission.
The Wake-Up Call: The Silent Threat of AI Agent Corruption
If you needed a clear sign that AI has fundamentally shifted the cybersecurity landscape, our own Unit 42 research provides it. The new reality isn't just about hackers using AI in their attacks; it’s also about how internal AI provides another attack surface for threat actors.
The most insidious new threat we've observed is AI Agent Smuggling, where malicious attackers use AI agents to exploit other agents. Our Unit 42 research highlights two major vectors:
Indirect Prompt Injection: A security risk in LLMs where a user crafts input containing deceptive instructions to manipulate the model’s behavior, which can lead to unauthorized data access or unintended actions.
Agent Session Smuggling: Exploit vulnerabilities in agent-to-agent communication, injecting malicious instructions into a conversation, hiding them among otherwise benign client requests and server responses.
This confirms our core belief as stated in a recent secure AI by Design blog: The AI ecosystem (the models, data and infrastructure) is now a complex, expanding attack surface that traditional perimeter defenses were simply not designed to protect.
As I’ve said before, “If you’re deploying AI, you must deploy AI security.”
Secure AI by Design: A Strategic Alliance with GSA
The GSA’s OneGov Initiative aims to streamline procurement and drive down costs by leveraging the purchasing power of the entire federal government. This is more than an agreement; it’s a direct response to the call for a "secure-by-design" approach to federal AI adoption. This agreement simplifies and standardizes the process for agencies to access our world-class, AI-powered security platform, ensuring that security is foundational, not an afterthought. It provides industry leading AI security tools into the hands of our cyber defenders today.
Under the Hood: Technical Capabilities for the AI Ecosystem
To counter the autonomous threats we’re seeing, we provide a platform that protects the entire AI lifecycle, from the developer's keyboard to the data center.
1. Runtime Protection for AI Workloads
Securing the AI supply chain requires visibility across every stage, especially during runtime when models are processing sensitive data.
Prisma® AIRSdelivers comprehensive security for the entire AI lifecycle, in one unified platform. It allows organizations to deploy traditional apps as well as AI applications, models and agents with confidence by reducing risk from misuse, data loss and sophisticated AI-driven threats. Prisma AIRS provides a clear, connected view of assets in multicloud environments, so teams can eliminate silos, accelerate responses, as well as scale cloud and AI apps securely.
Our Cloud-Native Application Protection Platform (CNAPP) has achieved the FedRAMP High designation, making it the preferred Code to Cloud solution to secure the entire application lifecycle from development to runtime. Our industry-leading CNAPP eliminates silos to deliver comprehensive visibility and best-in-class protection across multicloud environments.
2. Protecting Users and Data at the Edge
Even the most advanced AI defenses are undermined if users accessing applications and data are left vulnerable outside corporate security boundaries. The explosive growth of generative AI tools and the unseen behavior of AI agents are amplifying data exposure risks.
Prisma SASE (secure access service edge) secures all users, apps, devices and data, no matter where they are and no matter where applications reside.
Prisma Access (FedRAMP High Authorized) and Prisma Browser(FedRAMP-Moderate Authorized) integrate security capabilities, like zero trust network access (ZTNA), secure web gateway (SWG) and cloud access security broker (CASB), to provide a unified policy framework and a consistent user experience.
This approach helps agencies outpace the speed of AI-driven threats, safeguarding critical data and simplifying operations for a frictionless user experience. It ensures that the human element interacting with the AI is protected by the most stringent security controls available.
Deploy AI Bravely
The GSA OneGov agreement is a pivotal moment that provides federal agencies with the cost-effective, streamlined access they need to deploy AI with confidence. By leveraging our unified, AI-powered platform, government organizations can stop reacting to threats and start building secure-by-design AI environments. We are committed to remaining a key partner in this strategic initiative and helping the government achieve its mission outcomes safely.
For more information and access to promotional offers for new contracts signed on or before January 31, 2028, federal agencies can visit the GSA OneGov website.
Strengthening Cyber Resilience Across Northern Europe
Across Northern Europe, organizations are redefining how they work, innovate and compete. From the Netherlands’ smart logistics hubs to Finland’s AI-driven public services and the UK’s digital-first financial sector, this region is setting the global pace for responsible, data-driven transformation.
Yet behind this progress lies a growing challenge: security complexity.
According to the IBM Institute for Business Value (IBV), the average enterprise now manages 83 security tools from 29 vendors, leading to fragmented visibility, slower responses and rising risk exposure. In contrast, 96% of organizations that have unified their security platforms say they now view cybersecurity as a driver of business value, not a barrier to it.
That’s where the IBM and Palo Alto Networks partnership is making an impact. Together they are helping Northern European enterprises simplify, secure and accelerate their digital transformation with unified, AI-powered cybersecurity.
From Fragmented Tools to an Integrated Security Foundation
Northern Europe’s strength lies in its strong culture of trust and transparency, advanced digital infrastructure, as well as progressive regulatory frameworks. But as the EU NIS2 Directive, DORA and the AI Act come into force, achieving both compliance and cyber resilience require board-level oversight.
IBM and Palo Alto Networks are helping organizations lead this change. They combine IBM’s deep consulting and industry expertise with Palo Alto Networks market-leading security platforms and solutions, including Cortex XSIAM®, Cortex® Cloud™ and Prisma® Access. This integrated approach protects innovation, enables compliance efforts, and enhances operational efficiency.
The partnership not only secures organizational estates, but empowers faster decision-making, measurable ROI and sustainable transformation.
Five Capabilities Powering Secure Transformation
Organizations want to strengthen cyber resilience without slowing innovation. IBM and Palo Alto Networks help them do just that, through five connected capabilities that turn complex challenges into measurable outcomes.
1. Unified Security Platform: Simplify and See More
The Challenge: Too many tools, too little visibility.
The Reality: Most enterprises run more than 80 security tools from nearly 30 vendors.
By consolidating with IBM’s unified security approach and the Palo Alto Networks platforms, organizations are cutting total product costs by up to 19.4% and gaining a single, trusted view of their security posture.
The Outcome: Streamlined operations, faster decision-making and improved compliance enablement for frameworks like NIS2, all while reducing the energy footprint of sprawling infrastructure.
2. Cloud Security: Innovate Without the Risk
The Challenge: Cloud transformation introduces new risks and blind spots.
The Reality: 82% of breaches now involve cloud data, and nearly 40% span multiple environments.
IBM and Palo Alto Networks secure the journey from code to cloud to SOC, embedding security early in design and automating protection across environments. IBM’s AI deployment accelerators slash rollout time, while Cortex Cloud™ provides continuous visibility and compliance enablement.
The Outcome: Faster innovation with cloud operations that are secure by design, from day one.
3. Security for AI: Build Trust in Every Algorithm
The Challenge: Rapid AI adoption without consistent oversight.
The Reality: 82% of executives say trustworthy AI is critical to success, yet few have the controls in place.
IBM and Palo Alto Networks help organizations govern and protect their use of AI, securing data pipelines, scanning models and preventing adversarial attacks.
The Outcome: Confident AI adoption aligned to the EU AI Act requirements, where innovation can move forward without compromising data integrity or customer trust.
4. Security Service Edge (SSE): Connect People Securely, Anywhere
The Challenge: Hybrid work models demand reliable secure access everywhere.
The Reality: Human risk, not technology alone, is now the dominant factor in breaches, with 95% of data breaches involving human error, such as insider missteps, credential misuse and careless actions, underscoring how remote and hybrid workers’ behaviors significantly expand exposure.
With Palo Alto Networks Prisma Access and IBM’s consulting expertise, enterprises across Europe are simplifying secure connectivity through a unified zero trust framework.
The Outcome: Simpler, more efficient policy management and stronger protection across hybrid environments, where risk exposure is reduced, visibility is enhanced, and a seamless user experience is delivered.
The Challenge: SOC teams are overwhelmed, missing as many as two thirds of daily alerts due to alert fatigue and limited resources.
The Reality: Over half of organizations report they can’t hire or retain enough skilled analysts, leaving gaps in coverage and consistency.
By combining IBM’s Autonomous Threat Operations Machine (ATOM) with Palo Alto Networks Cortex XSIAM, organizations can streamline and automate core SOC workflows, reducing response times by more than half and enabling analysts to focus on the most critical incidents.
The Outcome: Faster detection, shorter resolution times and a more proactive, resilient security posture. AI-driven automation not only boosts accuracy but can also shorten breach lifecycles by more than 100 days, helping teams defend smarter.
Built for Northern Europe’s Next Decade of Growth
As Northern Europe is a leader in digital innovation, the stakes for cybersecurity have never been higher. Trust, transparency and compliance are not simply checkboxes, but are competitive advantages.
IBM and Palo Alto Networks are helping organizations across the region turn that reality into action. By uniting AI-powered automation, cloud-native security and deep industry expertise, they’re enabling enterprises to move faster, reduce complexity and strengthen resilience. This is achieved while enabling alignment with the region’s evolving frameworks, such as NIS2, DORA and the EU AI Act.
To stay ahead, security can no longer be a fragmented layer sitting outside transformation; it must be the foundation that powers it. With IBM and Palo Alto Networks, organizations gain a unified security platform built for the next decade of digital progress – one that protects every connection, every line of code and every moment of innovation.
Resilient. Compliant. Unified.
That’s the future of cybersecurity in Northern Europe.
Login
