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How Cisco and Splunk Are Transforming Security Operations with Agentic AI

The cyber landscape is evolving faster than ever. With threat actors leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to create sophisticated, automated attacks, today’s Security Operations Centres (SOCs) are under immense pressure to respond faster, smarter, and more efficiently. 


At Splunk .conf25, Cisco unveiled a groundbreaking development: Agentic AI, a new generation of intelligent security automation designed to help SOCs stay ahead of these challenges. Delivered through the newly announced Splunk Enterprise Security Premier and Essentials Editions, Agentic AI redefines how security teams detect, investigate, and respond to threats. 


At Ingeniq, we help IT and cybersecurity professionals stay ahead of these advancements through our authorised Splunk training programs, because innovation is only powerful when you know how to use it. Our mission is to equip professionals with the skills needed to understand, implement, and maximise these evolving technologies in real-world environments. 


In this article, we’ll explore how Cisco and Splunk are transforming security operations with Agentic AI, what it means for modern SOCs, and how upskilling in Splunk can future-proof your cybersecurity career. 


Splunk security analyst at work

Understanding Agentic AI in Security 


The rise of Agentic AI marks a turning point in how organisations manage cybersecurity and IT operations. Unlike traditional automation, Agentic AI acts with autonomy, analysing, learning, and executing tasks independently to strengthen resilience and reduce manual workload. 


In many Security Operations Centres (SOCs), analysts still face overwhelming alert volumes every day. According to Gartner, more than 68% of security teams experience burnout due to alert fatigue. Agentic AI tackles this problem by deploying intelligent agents that automatically evaluate alerts, prioritise critical threats, and trigger response actions, cutting investigation times from hours to minutes. 


This transformation doesn’t just streamline security; it redefines IT support and operations. By integrating Cisco’s AI-driven IT support ecosystem with Splunk’s analytics and observability, organisations gain proactive, intelligent defence posture. Instead of reacting to threats, teams can predict, prevent, and resolve issues faster than ever. 


Ultimately, this evolution aligns with Cisco’s broader mission, empowering digital enterprises with connected, adaptive systems that unite security, observability, and IT support under a single intelligent framework. 


Splunk Enterprise Security Premier & Essentials Editions: What’s New 


To make this vision a reality, Cisco introduced two new editions of Splunk Enterprise Security (ES) at .conf25: 


  • Splunk Enterprise Security Premier Edition – combines Splunk ES 8.2, Splunk SOAR, Splunk UEBA, and the Splunk AI Assistant, offering a unified, end-to-end security platform. 

  • Splunk Enterprise Security Essentials Edition – brings together Splunk ES 8.2 and the AI Assistant in a streamlined, accessible package for smaller or growing SOC teams. 


These editions consolidate threat detection, investigation, and response (TDIR) into a single workspace. Instead of toggling between fragmented tools, analysts can now manage their entire incident lifecycle within one interface. 

According to Michelle Abraham, Research Director, Security & Trust at IDC, unified platforms that integrate detection, investigation and response can significantly streamline workflows, enabling organisations to move from reactive to proactive security. 


For teams trained in Splunk, especially through practical, hands-on programs like those at Ingeniq, these updates translate to faster, smarter, and more resilient security operations.


 Cisco and Splunk Agentic AI infographic showing unified cybersecurity by Ingeniq

How Agentic AI Transforms the SOC 


The Agentic SOC introduces several intelligent features designed to automate and enhance the work of security teams: 


  • Triage Agent – Uses AI to evaluate, prioritise, and explain alerts, helping analysts focus on what truly matters. 

  • Malware Reversal Agent – Automatically analyses malicious scripts line-by-line, flagging indicators of compromise and potential evasion tactics. 

  • AI Playbook Authoring – Translates plain-language instructions into fully functional SOAR playbooks, accelerating response automation. 

  • Response Importer – Reads and implements your SOC’s standard operating procedures (SOPs) into the platform’s response workflows. 

  • AI-Enhanced Detection Library – Converts detection ideas into production-ready logic in minutes. 


In practice, these innovations reduce analyst fatigue and strengthen incident response by ensuring no threat goes unnoticed. 


At Ingeniq, we see first-hand how professionals who master Splunk Enterprise Security, SOAR, and ITSI are already benefiting from these automation-driven environments. By learning to harness AI within Splunk, analysts can transition from reactive responders to proactive defenders. 



Integration Power: Cisco and Splunk in Harmony 


Cisco’s broader integration across its ecosystem further amplifies Splunk’s AI-driven capabilities. 


Recent updates include: 


  • Isovalent Runtime Security (eBPF) integration – delivers granular workload visibility, pinpointing anomalies at runtime. 

  • Federation with Cisco Firewall Data – allows analysts to perform real-time analytics on firewall logs stored in Security Analytics and Logging (SAL) directly from Splunk Cloud Platform, without re-ingestion. 


Together, these integrations position Splunk as the central nervous system of the hybrid SOC, where Cisco provides visibility, and Splunk provides intelligence. 

For professionals pursuing Splunk certifications through Ingeniq, these are the kinds of hybrid data environments and integrations they’ll learn to manage confidently. 


AI-powered SOC threat monitoring

Why This Matters for Security Teams and Splunk Learners 


For organisations, Agentic AI represents a leap forward in security resilience. By automating repetitive processes and enriching detection with contextual intelligence, SOCs can: 


  • Respond to incidents faster 

  • Eliminate alert fatigue 

  • Enhance detection accuracy 

  • Lower operational complexity 


For professionals, the opportunity is even greater. Demand for Splunk skills continues to grow, with LinkedIn’s 2025 Emerging Jobs Report ranking Security Data Analyst among the top five in-demand roles in technology. As organisations adopt AI-driven SecOps frameworks, Splunk expertise becomes not just an advantage but a necessity. 


Ingeniq’s authorised Splunk courses help learners gain these future-ready skills, from mastering Enterprise Security and SOAR automation to understanding how AI transforms threat analytics. 


If your goal is to thrive in an AI-augmented SOC, Ingeniq’s Splunk training path is your starting point. 


Conclusion – Power Your Security Future with Splunk

 

The collaboration between Cisco and Splunk marks a pivotal moment in cybersecurity innovation. By embedding Agentic AI into the core of the SOC, they’ve laid the foundation for faster, more autonomous, and more resilient digital defences. 


For security teams, it means greater clarity and speed. For professionals, it signals a future where AI and human expertise operate in seamless collaboration. 


At Ingeniq, we’re proud to help bridge this evolution, empowering learners with the Splunk skills needed to activate AI-driven security in their organisations. 


Start Your Splunk Journey with Ingeniq 


Take your data and security skills to the next level with a training path made just for you. 


At Ingeniq, we design learning experiences that fit real people and real goals, from individuals looking to grow their careers to teams building stronger, smarter operations with Splunk and AI.  


 
 
 

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