Just as attackers are adding new capabilities into their toolkits with AI, they are consciously trying to evade the novel AI capabilities levied on them by defenders. In Cisco Talos’ findings with CAIRN, we classify this archetype of malware as “A3: AI-Analysis Evasion” — that is, malware that embeds natural-language instructions to influence automated analysis. In line with the CAIRN philosophy, we treat this embedded language as a signal and actively seek it out to track and measure the progression of adversary techniques on this front.
Over the past 18 months we have seen a variety of anti-analysis techniques, including the propagation of known methods across malware families, and the progression of simple techniques into more advanced implementations. This post traces these techniques across four confirmed A3 malware families: FRUITSHELL, PLOTSAFE, HOLLOWCLAD, and MANTLEMAZE, representing 84 distinct samples collected from January 2025 through July 2026. — Read More
Daily Archives: October 8, 2026
The State of AI Report 2026
9th annual State of AI Report
For nearly a decade, this report has been a labor of love. My interest in AI began with my PhD in cancer research and computational biology in the early 2010s. Since 2013, I’ve invested in companies building and applying AI to accelerate technological progress. The report is my way of sharing what I’m learning and helping more people understand the research shaping our world.
Every day brings new papers, model releases, and developments in industry and politics. Much of the work goes into deciding what deserves your attention, checking what the evidence supports, debating it with researchers and builders, and explaining why it matters. — Read More
