AI Agents Need Built-In Security. Here Is How Cisco Does It

Cisco has integrated AI Defense security directly into its new Agent Builder platform to protect enterprise AI agents from supply chain attacks, following the SmartLoader malware incident in February 2026 where attackers poisoned legitimate AI integration registries. By embedding security throughout the agent lifecycle from scanning third-party integrations to monitoring real-time execution, Cisco aims to address threats that manual vetting alone cannot manage at scale.