Zscaler IBM Red Hat Team Up to Shield Apps from Zero-Day Exploits

Zscaler (ZS) has teamed up with IBM and Red Hat to bolster defenses for private applications during the critical window between vulnerability disclosure and patch deployment. The collaboration integrates Zscaler's Autonomous Application Shield with Lightwell from IBM and Red Hat, offering adaptive protection and validated software remediation. This approach aims to address the growing challenge of attackers exploiting vulnerabilities before public fixes are available.

According to Mandiant's M-Trends 2026 report, the mean time to exploit a vulnerability has fallen below zero, meaning vulnerabilities are increasingly exploited before a public patch exists. The collaboration combines Zscaler's inline protection with Lightwell's validated fixes for open-source software, providing a coordinated response to reduce exposure during this gap.

Zscaler Autonomous Application Shield is currently available through an Early Access Program. The collaboration focuses on exposure discovery, preemptive protection, machine-speed response, and validated source-level remediation. Joby Menon, Senior Vice President of Product Management at Zscaler, emphasized the need for immediate protection while fixes are prepared and deployed.

Gunnar Hellekson, vice president and general manager of Lightwell at Red Hat, highlighted how AI is shrinking the window between vulnerability discovery and exploitation. Lightwell's capabilities, combined with Zscaler's global threat intelligence, aim to mitigate potential vulnerabilities head-on while patches are applied.