Many organizations are approaching agentic AI security by stitching together individual controls, assuming that identity, network, endpoint, or application security alone is enough. Each address only one part of the problem. As AI agents become more autonomous, move across systems, and take actions on behalf of users, organizations need a true defense-in-depth strategy that combines every layer of the security stack. Kaushik can discuss how each security layer provides a different piece of the puzzle and how individually, none of the controls are sufficient. But together, they create the layered governance needed to securely deploy agentic AI.
For more information about Helmet Security, please visit https://securityweekly.com/helmetbh.
- 0:00 - — Welcome to Black Hat 2026 with Helmet Security
- 0:24 - — Securing AI Agents and the Rise of Agentic AI Security
- 0:57 - — Kaushik Shanati’s Cybersecurity Journey and Building Helmet
- 01:53 - — The New Risks of Giving AI Agents Enterprise Access
- 03:11 - — Why AI Agent Security Requires Defense-in-Depth
- 05:07 - — Using Existing Security Tools for AI Agent Protection
- 06:34 - — Common Misconceptions About Agentic AI Security
- 09:22 - — Governance, Least Privilege, and Managing AI Agent Access
- 10:02 - — How CISOs Can Begin Securing AI Adoption
- 10:55 - — The Future of AI Security and Advice for Cyber Professionals
- 12:17 - — Avoiding Over-Reliance on AI in Security Operations
- 13:47 - — Closing Thoughts on Agentic AI Security
Kaushik Shanadi is Co-Founder and CTO of Helmet Security, where he is building scalable, agent-native security protocols for the next generation of AI systems. A security engineer with deep experience across startups and enterprise environments, he has spent his career designing secure, high-performance infrastructure and solving complex cybersecurity challenges. Prior to founding Helmet, Kaushik served as Chief Architect at Conceal, where he led the development of advanced security technologies. He is based in the Washington, D.C. area and holds a B.S. degree from the University of Florida.
