* [Blog](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog) * [Cloud Security](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/cloud-security/) * [AppSec](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/cloud-security/category/appsec/) * Cortex Cloud 2.3: Advanci... # Cortex Cloud 2.3: Advancing Autonomous Cloud Defense [](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.paloaltonetworks.com%2Fblog%2Fcloud-security%2Fcortex-cloud-2-3-advancing-autonomous-cloud-defense%2F) [](https://twitter.com/share?text=Cortex+Cloud+2.3%3A+Advancing+Autonomous+Cloud+Defense&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.paloaltonetworks.com%2Fblog%2Fcloud-security%2Fcortex-cloud-2-3-advancing-autonomous-cloud-defense%2F) [](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.paloaltonetworks.com%2Fblog%2Fcloud-security%2Fcortex-cloud-2-3-advancing-autonomous-cloud-defense%2F&title=Cortex+Cloud+2.3%3A+Advancing+Autonomous+Cloud+Defense&summary=&source=) [](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com//www.reddit.com/submit?url=https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/cloud-security/cortex-cloud-2-3-advancing-autonomous-cloud-defense/&ts=markdown) \[\](mailto:?subject=Cortex Cloud 2.3: Advancing Autonomous Cloud Defense) Link copied By [Sarit Tager](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/author/sarit-tager/?ts=markdown "Posts by Sarit Tager") and [Cameron Hyde](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/author/cameron-hyde/?ts=markdown "Posts by Cameron Hyde") Nov 02, 2026 5 minutes [AppSec](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/cloud-security/category/appsec/?ts=markdown) [Cloud Posture Security](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/cloud-security/category/cloud-security-posture-management/?ts=markdown) [Cloud Runtime Security](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/cloud-security/category/cloud-runtime-security/?ts=markdown) [Cloud Security](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/cloud-security/category/cloud-security/?ts=markdown) [CNAPP](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/cloud-security/category/cnapp/?ts=markdown) AI is fundamentally changing how organizations develop software, manage cloud environments and operate their businesses. AI coding assistants are accelerating development, autonomous agents are introducing new security risks, and SaaS applications are expanding the attack surface. At the same time, frontier AI is accelerating attacks, with[Unit 42 research](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/resources/research/unit-42-incident-response-report?ts=markdown) demonstrating that an AI-assisted attack could reach data exfiltration in just 25 minutes in a simulated scenario. Cortex Cloud 2.3 advances our vision of a platform for autonomous cloud defense. The release introduces new capabilities to continuously reduce risk, defend in real time and start secure across modern cloud environments. Here's a look at the key innovations. ## Align Security Goals with Business Outcomes New Security Initiatives help organizations drive measurable risk reduction by setting security goals, prioritizing remediation and tracking progress over time. Teams can create custom initiatives or use recommended goals based on posture and finding trends. ![Security initiative to eliminate critical vulnerabilities that are exploitable and fixable](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/screenshot-2026-10-26-at-8-11-43-am-png.png) Figure 1: Security initiative to eliminate critical vulnerabilities that are exploitable and fixable For example, a security team can set a goal to eliminate all critical and high-severity vulnerabilities from production applications by a specific date. With Security Initiatives, teams can coordinate remediation and track progress toward that goal, making it easier to measure and demonstrate risk reduction. ## Extend Unified Security Across SaaS and Cloud SaaS applications and cloud infrastructure are increasingly interconnected through shared identities, integrations and access to sensitive data. AI agents and third-party integrations are expanding these connections, creating new opportunities for attackers to exploit security gaps. Yet fragmented security across SaaS and cloud environments makes it difficult to identify connected risks and potential attack paths. Introducing Cortex Cloud SaaS Security, bringing unified protection to 100 SaaS applications. By connecting SaaS posture, identity, data and AI security with broader cloud context, Cortex Cloud helps teams uncover connected risks, prioritize exposures and accelerate remediation from a single platform. Learn more in our[Cortex Cloud SaaS Security announcement](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/cloud-security/introducing-cortex-cloud-saas-security/?ts=markdown). ## Stop Threats in Real Time with a Cloud-Optimized Agent The new Cortex Cloud Sensor brings lightweight, real-time threat prevention to Linux cloud workloads and Kubernetes environments. Built on eBPF technology, the sensor is optimized for cloud-native infrastructure, delivering active protection while using up to 75% fewer resources. Combined with agentless scanning, Cortex Cloud enables organizations to proactively identify exposures and stop active threats in real time without sacrificing workload performance. ## Start Secure by Connecting Security to AI Coding Agents AI coding agents are accelerating software development. Rather than simply shifting security left to identify vulnerabilities earlier, Cortex Cloud enables developers to start secure by embedding security directly into code generation. To accelerate secure development, Cortex Cloud brings security context and code scanning directly to AI coding agents through its MCP Server, with native integrations for Claude Code and Cursor. Agents can identify and address security weaknesses as they generate code, rather than relying on security checks later in development. ## Ensure Only Trusted Software Reaches Production The new Supply Chain Security Dashboard and Artifact Attestation help organizations ensure only trusted software reaches production. Teams can evaluate software trust based on vulnerabilities in the SBOM, the security posture of the development pipeline and artifact attestations that verify software integrity and provenance. ![Cortex Cloud Trust Chain Dashboard](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/screenshot-2026-07-10-at-10-22-21-am-png.png) Figure 2: Cortex Cloud Trust Chain Dashboard Open-source reachability analysis also helps teams cut through CVE noise by identifying vulnerable packages and functions that are actually reachable, so they can focus remediation on the risks that matter most. ## More Innovations Across the Cortex Cloud Platform Beyond these major advancements, the latest release brings even more value across the Cortex Cloud platform, helping security teams expand coverage, strengthen protection and simplify remediation. * **Unified Identity Security Dashboard:** Investigate identity risks faster by connecting identity posture with real-time threat signals across cloud, SaaS and on-premises environments, including human identities, non-human identities and AI agents. * **Expanded AI Security for AWS and GCP:** Secure more of the AI attack surface with visibility and risk detection across AI agents, datasets, identities and supporting infrastructure in AWS Bedrock AgentCore, AWS SageMaker and GCP Gemini Enterprise Agent Platform. * **Fix-Oriented Vulnerability Policies:** Reduce ticket volume and accelerate remediation by grouping CVEs that share the same fix into a single issue. * **Expanded Cloud Support:** Extend protection across more environments with posture management and compliance for IBM Cloud, and vulnerability management and real-time protection for Azure Container Apps. * **Kubernetes Advanced Admission Security Policies:** Prevent risky deployments associated with active threats using security policies informed by Unit 42 research. * **Agentless File Integrity Monitoring:** Detect unauthorized changes to system files, binaries and configurations across cloud workloads without deploying agents. * **DLP Harmonization:** Simplify policy coverage analysis by consolidating DLP policies from Cortex Endpoint DLP and Microsoft Purview DLP into a unified inventory. * **MCP Server Discovery:** Uncover risks in AI development infrastructure by discovering MCP servers and assessing associated security risks. * **GitHub Advanced Security Integration:** Improve application risk prioritization by bringing GitHub Advanced Security SAST and SCA findings into Cortex Cloud for unified visibility. ## Advance Your Cloud Defense with Cortex Cloud From setting measurable security goals to protecting running workloads and securing AI-generated code, Cortex Cloud continues to make cloud defense more proactive, automated and effective. See the latest innovations in action.[Request a personalized demo](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/cortex/cloud/demo?ts=markdown) to explore how Cortex Cloud can strengthen your security, or[read the full release notes](https://cortex-docs.paloaltonetworks.com/release-notes-cloud-runtime-2.3/cortex-cloud-runtime-security-release-information/features-introduced-in-2026-cloud/november-2026/release-highlights) for a complete overview of what's new. *** ** * ** *** ## Related Blogs ### [Announcement](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/announcement/?ts=markdown), [AppSec](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/cloud-security/category/appsec/?ts=markdown), [Cloud Detection and Response](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/cloud-security/category/cloud-detection-and-response/?ts=markdown), [Cloud Posture Security](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/cloud-security/category/cloud-security-posture-management/?ts=markdown), [Cloud Security](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/cloud-security/category/cloud-security/?ts=markdown), [CNAPP](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/cloud-security/category/cnapp/?ts=markdown) [#### Introducing Cortex Cloud 2.2: Defend Against Frontier AI Threats](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/cloud-security/cortex-cloud-2-2/) ### [Cloud Posture Security](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/cloud-security/category/cloud-security-posture-management/?ts=markdown), [Cloud Runtime Security](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/cloud-security/category/cloud-runtime-security/?ts=markdown), [Cloud Security](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/cloud-security/?ts=markdown), [CNAPP](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/cloud-security/category/cnapp/?ts=markdown) [#### Your Riskiest Kubernetes Workload Is Hiding in Plain Sight](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/cloud-security/your-riskiest-kubernetes-workload-is-hiding-in-plain-sight/) ### [ASPM](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/cloud-security/category/aspm/?ts=markdown), [Cloud Runtime Security](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/cloud-security/category/cloud-runtime-security/?ts=markdown), [Cloud Security](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/cloud-security/category/cloud-security/?ts=markdown), [CNAPP](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/cloud-security/category/cnapp/?ts=markdown) [#### Container Security: A Layer-by-Layer Guide for Security Engineers](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/cloud-security/container-security-defense-in-depth-guide/) ### [AppSec](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/cloud-security/category/appsec/?ts=markdown), [Cloud Security](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/cloud-security/category/cloud-security/?ts=markdown), [Cloud Security](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/cloud-security/?ts=markdown), [Software Supply Chain Security](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/cloud-security/category/software-supply-chain-security/?ts=markdown), [Vulnerability Management](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/cloud-security/category/vulnerability-management/?ts=markdown) [#### How Cortex Cloud Protects Against PHP2Shell Vulnerabilities From Code to Cloud](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/cloud-security/how-cortex-cloud-protects-against-php2shell-vulnerabilities-from-code-to-cloud/) ### [AppSec](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/cloud-security/category/appsec/?ts=markdown), [Cloud Security](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/cloud-security/category/cloud-security/?ts=markdown), [Software Composition Analysis](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/cloud-security/category/software-composition-analysis/?ts=markdown) [#### Securing Open-Source Software in the Frontier AI Era](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/cloud-security/securing-open-source-software-in-the-frontier-ai-era/) ### [Cloud Posture Security](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/cloud-security/category/cloud-security-posture-management/?ts=markdown), [Cloud Security](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/cloud-security/?ts=markdown), [CNAPP](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/cloud-security/category/cnapp/?ts=markdown) [#### Neutralize Cloud Threats, Stop the Attack Path](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/cloud-security/neutralize-cloud-threats-stop-the-attack-path/) ### Subscribe to Cloud Security Blogs! 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