The Agentic SDLC: Why Most of What We Do in Software Security Has to Change

This article argues that the traditional, gate-based software security model is being structurally dismantled by the rise of AI coding agents that generate, review, and deploy code at machine speed, with a documented 37.6% increase in critical vulnerabilities after five agent iterations without embedded security checks. The author contends that while SAST remains necessary, it is insufficient, and the real crisis is governance failure—as demonstrated by 100% of surveyed companies having AI-generated code in production while 81% of security teams lack visibility into it. The solution lies in a "shift-everywhere" architecture with three layers: embedded agent-native security (using MCP servers and policy files as critical infrastructure), gate-based controls for audit and AI-assisted remediation, and runtime behavioral monitoring with agent identity and least-privilege principles. The paper calls for concrete changes: updating SSDLC policies with an "agentic annex" covering AI-BOMs, agent identity, and configuration integrity; reframing security review platforms to orchestrate agents rather than just track humans; making AI threat modeling an ambient, continuous service; and ensuring intake evaluations produce machine-readable security policy. It concludes that while the ceremonies of the SDLC are dying, the core security functions must persist and evolve, with the discipline intentionally designing its agentic future rather than reacting after failure. 

https://www.geico.com/techblog/the-agentic-sdlc

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