Report

Gartner® Hype Cycle™ for Application Security, 2025

AppSec in 2025 needs to keep up with code, cloud and AI.

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In the 2025 Hype Cycle for Application Security, Gartner highlights a wave of emerging innovations.

We see the need for change because traditional tools can’t address the speed of software security challenges, powered by AI.

From evolving application architectures to rising threats from AI and software supply chains, security teams are under pressure to detect, respond and fix vulnerabilities faster than ever.

Our top insights from the 2025 Gartner® Hype Cycle™ and why runtime security is gaining momentum in modern AppSec:
  • Gartner formally introduces AI Runtime Defense, recognizing the critical need for real-time visibility and protection of applications, in our view.
  • By 2026, at least 40% of organizations will default to their application security testing vendors for AI-based autoremediation of vulnerable code.
  • Organizations need fewer silos and more unified runtime-aware platforms that connect Dev, AppSec and SecOps.
  • By 2027, at least 30% of application security exposures will result from usage of vibe coding practices.
Contrast is built for this new era.

Our Application Detection and Response (ADR) platform gives Dev, Sec and Ops teams the real-time visibility they need, directly from running applications and APIs. Security has to happen at runtime, because that’s where the risk is real.

See where application security is headed - and how to stay ahead. Get your copy now.

Gartner, Hype Cycle for Application Security, 2025, By Dionisio Zumerle, 22 July 2025

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