Thursday, October 22nd • 6:00 PM
The Modern AI SOC: From Alert Fatigue to Autonomous Defense
Join ISC2 Northern Virginia Chapter for a practical look at what AI is actually doing inside the security operations center. SOC teams are buried in alerts, short on analysts, and up against adversaries who move at machine speed. Merlin Cyber and Torq will walk through how AI auto-triage, unified case management, and full-lifecycle automation are changing the work, and where the humans still belong.
You will leave with a clear picture of what an AI-driven SOC looks like today, how leading agencies and enterprises are getting there, and how to judge the maturity, governance, and trust required before handing AI more of the load.
This meeting is sponsored by Merlin Cyber.
Event Agenda
Location: Capital One, Building C1, Maplewood Hall (Floor 7), 1600 Capital One Drive, McLean, VA 22102 (see venue note below; this is not our usual building)
- 6:00 to 6:30 PM: Check-in and Networking (Food provided, first come, first served)
- 6:30 to 8:00 PM: Chapter Meeting & Presentation, plus a short showcase from a local student robotics team
- 8:00 PM onward: Cyber Social Hour at The Perch, Capital One's rooftop venue, sponsored by Cribl
Venue & Directions
Reminder: we are NOT in our usual building
We are usually in the Capital One building called "C2." For this event we are in a different building called "C1," the large glass building above Ometeo and Stellina Pizzeria. Our room is Maplewood Hall on Floor 7.
Address:
Capital One
1600 Capital One Drive
McLean, VA 22102
Bldg C1 | Maplewood Hall (Floor 7)
C1 Parking: There is a surface parking lot adjacent to C1 for guest parking. If that lot is full, use the usual C2 Garage (1680 Capital One Drive) and walk over, or the Wegmans parking garage beneath The Perch.
Directions to Maplewood Hall: Enter the C1 lobby and proceed past the welcome desk to the elevators. Take an elevator to Floor 7. On Floor 7, head left until you reach the security desk. Maplewood Hall is directly opposite it. If you get lost, just ask security for "C1 Maplewood Hall."
On the map below, the C1 building is the red circle and the surface parking lot is the green square.
Session Abstract
Security operations teams are drowning in alerts, stretched thin on talent, and facing adversaries who now move at machine speed. In this session, Merlin Cyber and Torq examine how AI is reshaping the modern SOC and what it takes to move from reactive triage to a truly autonomous, full-lifecycle security operation.
We'll explore the trends driving this shift: AI-powered auto-triage that investigates and dispositions the vast majority of alerts before an analyst ever sees them; unified case management that turns scattered signals into coherent, enriched investigations; and end-to-end lifecycle coverage that connects detection, investigation, response, and remediation into a single continuous workflow.
Critically, we'll address where humans belong in this picture, showing how a well-designed human-in-the-loop model keeps analysts in control of high-impact decisions while freeing them from repetitive work. Attendees will leave with a practical view of what an AI-driven SOC looks like today, how leading agencies and enterprises are getting there, and how to evaluate the maturity, governance, and trust required to let AI take on more of the operational load.
Key Discussion Points
- AI-powered auto-triage that investigates and dispositions most alerts before an analyst ever sees them
- Unified case management: turning scattered signals into coherent, enriched investigations
- End-to-end lifecycle coverage that connects detection, investigation, response, and remediation in one continuous workflow
- Where humans belong: a human-in-the-loop model that keeps analysts in control of high-impact decisions
- What an AI-driven SOC looks like today, and how leading agencies and enterprises are getting there
- How to evaluate the maturity, governance, and trust required to let AI take on more of the operational load
Featured Speakers
Speaker
Jason Malnar
Lead Cybersecurity Solutions Architect, Merlin Cyber
Jason Malnar is a Lead Cybersecurity Solutions Architect at Merlin Cyber, bringing more than 20 years of Federal IT experience across cybersecurity, enterprise infrastructure, and mission-driven technology modernization. His career includes roles as Federal Account Executive at SentinelOne, Senior Solutions Engineer at Nutanix, and Systems and Virtualization Lead at the Department of Energy Headquarters, a trajectory that has given him rare fluency in both the security and infrastructure sides of the house, and a sharp understanding of how the two must converge to enable and protect the mission.
Additionally, Jason is a NIST Published Author on Trusted Cloud Infrastructure. A veteran of the United States Air Force and Operation Enduring Freedom, Jason brings the same discipline and mission focus to the civilian sector that defined his military service.
Speaker
Shanikqua Burks
Channel Sales Engineer, Torq
Shanikqua Burks is a cybersecurity and technology leader with 18+ years of experience across the U.S. military, federal government, cloud security, and enterprise technology. A U.S. Army veteran, she currently serves as a Channel Sales Engineer at Torq, helping organizations and partners operationalize AI-driven security solutions.
Her background includes roles at Palo Alto Networks and Splunk, with expertise spanning cybersecurity, cloud security, technical sales, and business strategy.
We look forward to seeing you there!