• AI‑driven attacks top the nightmare list, proving today’s threat landscape is packed with real monsters—not imaginary boogeymen.
• Legendary, always‑on defenses like ZTNA, EDR, Adaptive Protection, and Incident Prediction turn zombified insiders, ransomware vampires, and LOTL squatters into dust.
• With supply chains wobbling like a Jenga tower and AI doubling its power every seven months, only holistic, battle‑ready security lets your SOC analysts sleep like legends.

A well-rested SOC team is crucial for defense that never sleeps. So what’s got you tossing and turning when you should be recharging for the next battle? Let’s look at how respondents in a Symantec LinkedIn poll ranked their top four security nightmares:

• Insider threats (17%)
• Ransomware (21%)
• Supply chain vulnerabilities (24%)
• AI-driven attacks (38%)

The bad news is that these fears aren’t just some imaginary boogeyman; they represent real-life monsters terrifying enough to scare even an experienced defender. The good news: Relying on legendary defense systems acts like SOC-melatonin—designed to put your fears to bed so you can get some well-deserved rest.

Stay safe from zombified employees and infected endpoints

Let’s start with a dark one: the attack from within. Insufficient training, weak security, and lax policy enforcement can turn a trusted employee into an unwitting zombie picking your organization’s brain for sensitive information. With more than 83% of organizations falling prey to an inside job last year, the fear is justified.

Luckily, devious phishing emails and human error are no match for Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) protections and Identity and Access Management (IAM) systems designed to anticipate danger and stop it at the door. Even when an unsuspecting worker becomes a dangerous lurker, Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) defends from within, rooting out and booting out bad guys, saving time and money. 

Say ‘no’ to extortionist gangs demanding a ransom

Ransomware vampires continue to form highly organized cartels. With skin-crawling names like Scattered Spider, these not-so-merry bands of thieves drain your sensitive information and hold it hostage. These repeat offenders even engage in double extortion attacks designed to cause maximum pain.

Sinister groups thrive on living off the land (LOTL) tactics, setting up camp and remaining undetected in a blindspot-riddled landscape while organizations unknowingly share more information by the second. RansomHub remains an attacker favorite, exploiting vulnerabilities, using techniques like Bring Your Own Vulnerable Driver (BYOVD) to disable endpoint security and access high-level system privileges undetected.

Replace BYOVD with BYOLD (Bring Your Own Legendary Defender) and evict the LOTL squatters living rent-free in your environment—and your head. Adaptive Protection, world-class EDR, and enterprise-grade threat intelligence work together to deter extortionist gangs. Built into Endpoint Security Complete, Symantec’s Incident Prediction leverages both AI and extensive threat intel to predict an attacker’s next four to five moves for imminent-attack behavior and prevention. Better sleep is in the bank with cost-saving early detection.

Cross supply chain worries off your bedtime list

Your organization may be prepared, but you’re only as strong as the weakest link in your supply chain. 2024’s July 19th “outage felt ‘round the world” highlighted the risk of tech monoculture’s over-reliance on single vendors and vulnerable supply chains. 

In a volatile geo-political climate, weak links wreak havoc. Like pulling a foundational block from a Jenga tower, cybercriminals attack soft-targets—small and medium organizations lower in the supply chain—sending larger enterprises toppling into catastrophic and costly failure. It’s enough unpredictability to give a narcoleptic insomnia. 

The answer to a vulnerable supply chain is a return to cybersecurity fundamentals, taking an interconnected approach to prevention and detection at every link in the chain. A holistic approach means your detection and response systems never rest, so you can sleep well no matter who’s rattling chains in the basement.  

With AI here to stay, you need security that slays

AI continues to dominate the economy and redefine the threat landscape in 2026. Symantec’s poll reflects the truth that world-changing innovation at this scale can feel threatening, as AI currently doubles its capabilities every seven months–a startling stat that’s only expected to accelerate. Further raising concerns, AI is the ultimate shape-shifter, going from best friend to worst enemy, depending on user intent. 

Aided by Large Language Models (LLMs), both human and agentic attackers transcend language barriers to mount sophisticated attacks on your organization, mimicking legitimate associations to the target and casting just the right lure. Meanwhile, well-meaning employees seeking greater productivity may feed highly sensitive information to AI agents like ChatGPT, opening up new avenues for exploitation.

Luckily, the right security approach helps keep AI’s double-edged sword in the hands of the good guys. An exclusive feature of Adaptive Protection, Incident Prediction leverages AI to spot attacks early, while rapid-fire incident summaries and analysis help mount a lethal response. Adaptive Protection relies on ML to block anomalous use of legitimate software, banishing LOTL homesteaders before they have a chance to get comfortable. To the threat hunting legends at Symantec and Carbon Black, AI is a familiar foe and they’ve been training against it for years.

When securing high-stakes data like financial or medical information, AI risks being a grenade with a freshly pulled pin. Symantec DLP identifies risks and honors privacy, keeping AI honest. And honest AI is a powerful weapon for good.

Security nightmares, meet the security legends. Innovating at the pace of change, Symantec and Carbon Black are here to check under the bed and shed light on would-be intruders, making sure your SOC team gets to work well-rested for another round of legendary defense.