Get to know

# Ryan Heartfield

Ryan Heartfield is a Solution Consultant for UK Defence and Intelligence at Palo Alto Networks, driving Zero-Trust and AI/Autonomous SOC transformation across enterprise and operational environments. Ryan is currently a Royal Academy of Engineering Visiting Professor of Cybersecurity and AI at Kingston University, and a past Research Fellow in Cybersecurity and AI at the University of Greenwich, UK. He has published over 20 articles in top cybersecurity journals, and led research and development in multiple national and international research projects, focusing on artificial intelligence in cybersecurity, intrusion detection, information trustworthiness, and social engineering. His research in defining the Human-as-a-Security-Sensor (HaaSS) paradigm, Cyber-Physical Detection and Response (CPDR), and Autonomous Cyber Agents have gained both academic and industrial recognition. Ryan is a regular speaker at premier international cybersecurity conferences and events (Defcon, Cyber UK, S4, Palo Alto Networks Ignite).  
[![linkedin](https://www2.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/wp-content/themes/panwblog2023/dist/images/linkedin.svg)](https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanheartfield/)

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Blogs by Ryan Heartfield  
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Recent Popular

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[![Crossing the Autonomy Threshold](https://www2.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/AdobeStock_1246251272-1-scaled.jpeg)](https://www2.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/2025/12/crossing-autonomy-threshold/)

## [AI Security](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/ai-security/?ts=markdown), [Points of View](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/points-of-view/?ts=markdown), [Secure the Future](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/secure-the-future/?ts=markdown)

### [Crossing the Autonomy Threshold](https://www2.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/2025/12/crossing-autonomy-threshold/)

Autonomous offensive cyber agents are here. Shift from human-led, reactive defense to proactive, machine-driven security for cyber resilience.  
Dec 05, 2025  
By [Nicole Nichols](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/author/nicole-nichols/?ts=markdown "Posts by Nicole Nichols") and [Ryan Heartfield](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/author/ryan-heartfield/?ts=markdown "Posts by Ryan Heartfield")

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Blogs by Ryan Heartfield  
Sort By: Popular  
Popular Recent

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[![Crossing the Autonomy Threshold](https://www2.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/AdobeStock_1246251272-1-scaled.jpeg)](https://www2.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/2025/12/crossing-autonomy-threshold/)

## [AI Security](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/ai-security/?ts=markdown), [Points of View](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/points-of-view/?ts=markdown), [Secure the Future](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/secure-the-future/?ts=markdown)

### [Crossing the Autonomy Threshold](https://www2.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/2025/12/crossing-autonomy-threshold/)

Autonomous offensive cyber agents are here. Shift from human-led, reactive defense to proactive, machine-driven security for cyber resilience.  
Dec 05, 2025  
By [Nicole Nichols](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/author/nicole-nichols/?ts=markdown "Posts by Nicole Nichols") and [Ryan Heartfield](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/author/ryan-heartfield/?ts=markdown "Posts by Ryan Heartfield")

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