Automating Vulnerability Remediation: A Must for Modern Software Development

The vulnerability backlog has long been an accepted reality in software development. However, with the advent of AI-powered attack tools, this backlog is no longer sustainable. Attackers can now exploit vulnerabilities within hours, making it essential to automate remediation processes.

A recent report by M-Trends highlights the alarming rate at which attackers are exploiting vulnerabilities before they are even disclosed. This has led to a significant increase in the number of CVE submissions, with NIST experiencing a 263% rise between 2020 and 2025. At Endor Labs, we’ve observed an equally concerning trend, with the same number of CVEs reported in the first 100 days of 2026 as in all of 2025.

The manual model for vulnerability remediation is no longer viable due to several factors. Firstly, the volume of vulnerabilities has reached a breaking point, making it impossible for teams to keep up with manual triage and patching. Secondly, AI models can now chain multiple vulnerabilities together to generate exploits, further exacerbating the problem.

Attackers have access to the same AI tools as defenders, which means they can leverage these technologies to probe for weaknesses and generate working exploits within a matter of hours. This has significantly reduced the exploitation window, making it essential to automate remediation processes.