The Surge of AI-Centric Vulnerabilities — Why Modern Software Needs a Modern Defense

AI-powered coding assistants like GitHub Copilot and ChatGPT are accelerating how quickly developers ship code — but they’re also introducing new types of vulnerabilities into the software supply chain.

With AI now contributing to more than 40% of newly written code in many enterprise teams, threat actors are taking notice. The speed of software creation has outpaced the speed of security — and the result is a surge in AI-influenced vulnerabilities.

The New Threat Surface

Recent research shows that most exploits are now weaponized within 72 hours of disclosure. Meanwhile, patching across enterprise environments still takes 30 to 45 days. In that gap, attackers find opportunities.

AI-written code often introduces:

• Outdated open-source packages
  
  
• Unused or dead components
  
  
• Excessive default permissions
  
  
• Insecure configuration templates
  
  

Traditional scanning tools generate massive vulnerability lists — but can’t distinguish which ones matter. Security teams are left with backlogs, noise, and no execution context.

What’s Needed Now: Runtime-Aware, Full-Lifecycle Defense

To stay ahead of this trend, organizations need more than a scanner. They need an integrated software supply chain security platform that can reduce risk across the entire container lifecycle — from development through deployment.

That’s exactly where RapidFort delivers value.

1. DevTime Protection Tools

Scan, instrument, and profile containers directly inside your CI/CD pipeline. These tools help security and engineering teams:

• Detect unused packages
  
  
• Auto-generate SBOM and RBOM™ artifacts
  
  
• Prioritize CVEs using the RapidRisk Score — based on runtime behavior
  
  

No code changes. No context loss. Just meaningful visibility early in the lifecycle.

2. Curated Near-Zero CVE Images

Start secure with hardened, daily-patched images across 6,000+ base configurations — including Ubuntu, Red Hat, Alpine, and Debian. These images:

• Eliminate unused components from the start
  
  
• Are FIPS 140-3 validated and CIS/STIG benchmarked
  
  
• Drop easily into CI/CD with no vendor lock-in into proprietary OS
  
  

By starting with a secure foundation, teams remove vulnerabilities before they ever enter production.

3. RunTime Protection Tools

RapidFort’s RunTime Tools deliver automated hardening for containers in production. They:

• Remove unused libraries and packages based on actual execution path
  
  
• Removes hidden CVEs
  
  
• Align containers with STIG/CIS baselines
  
  

This enables reduction of up to 95% of CVEs and up to 90% of attack surface — without modifying source code.

AI Is Changing the Game. Your Security Strategy Needs to Keep Up.

As the velocity of code generation increases, static security tools can no longer keep up. You need a platform that not only finds vulnerabilities, but also eliminates unused source code.

That’s the RapidFort difference:
Visibility during development. Secure images from the start. Runtime protection where it matters most.

Ready to rethink vulnerability management in the age of AI?

👉 [Request a Demo] to explore how RapidFort can help you move faster — and safer.