Dallas – September 11, 2026 -- BackBox unveiled Kilter AI, a new intelligence layer for its network cyber resilience platform, built on a human-in-the-loop model rather than full autonomy. The company rebranded its platform as Kilter and positioned the AI layer as a decision-support tool for network operations and security (NetSecOps) teams, not a replacement for them.
Vulnerability data spiked 20% in 2025, raising pressure on security teams
More than 48,000 new CVEs were published in 2025, a 20% increase year-over-year, and roughly 60% of breach victims trace incidents to a known, unpatched vulnerability, according to BackBox. The company said attackers can now exploit weaknesses within days rather than months or years, intensifying pressure on understaffed NetSecOps teams managing tools across fragmented environments.
BackBox rejects full autonomy, requiring human approval before automation runs
Kilter AI follows responsible-AI principles BackBox introduced in October 2025, emphasizing trustworthiness, transparency, and human oversight. Every recommendation generated by the system must be reviewed and approved by human teams before execution. "The built-in AI intelligence in Kilter AI leverages BackBox's sizable network infrastructure knowledge and automation library, providing new insights, recommendations, and automations that significantly enhance security and reduce manual work," said Rekha Shenoy, CEO of BackBox.
New tools convert raw CVE data into reviewable remediation workflows
Kilter AI combines four capabilities: Enriched Data Aggregation, which normalizes CVE severity data from CISA, NVD, NIST, and vendor sources into a single risk view per device; CVE Workaround Insights, which identifies configuration fixes that avoid the need to patch; CVE Workaround to Chains, which turns workaround data into visual, executable remediation chains for team review; and Automation Creation Assistance, which converts CLI input into device-aware automations without requiring scripting expertise.
60% of IT leaders plan predictive network automation within two years
BackBox cited survey data showing 60% of IT leaders intend to deploy AI-enabled predictive network automation within the next two years, underscoring demand for the category despite caution around full autonomy. Alexander Neubauer, Head of Network & Security at ACP IT Solutions GmbH, said BackBox helps the firm centralize device inventory and automate compliance tasks when new devices are added to its network.
Kilter AI sits atop a platform covering 180+ vendors and 3,000+ automations
Kilter AI operates as the intelligence layer within the broader Kilter Platform, which also includes Kilter ALM for device lifecycle automation — onboarding, backup, recovery, upgrades, and patching — across more than 180 vendors with over 3,000 pre-built automations, and Kilter Enterprise for compliance, policy, and configuration integrity. BackBox said more than 500 enterprises worldwide use the Kilter Platform.
BackBox frames Kilter AI as the first step toward agentic NetSecOps
The company said Kilter AI forms the foundation for a longer-term shift toward agentic NetSecOps, where networks reason, adapt, and act with increasing independence, but added that autonomy will expand incrementally as customer trust builds with each new capability. BackBox recently received recognition from the 2026 A.I. Awards for Best AI-driven Automation Solution and from Cyber Defense Magazine in the AI/ML for Cyber Resilience category. Kilter AI is available now as part of the Kilter Platform.