F5 says AI-driven cyberattacks outpace enterprise patching timelines
FFIV•F5 says average exploitation timing reached seven days before disclosure in 2026, while average patch deployment takes about 20 days. Citing Mandiant data, it says exploitation timing fell from roughly 771 days after disclosure in 2018 to about three weeks in 2025.
1. Exploitation speeds up
F5's cybersecurity analysis says AI-driven exploitation is outpacing enterprise patching, leaving organizations exposed before fixes can be safely deployed. Citing Mandiant data, it says average exploitation timing shifted from roughly 771 days after disclosure in 2018 to about 10 months in 2021, 53 days in 2024, three weeks in 2025 and seven days before disclosure in 2026. Average patch deployment remains about 20 days.
2. AI expands access
F5 says widely available AI models are broadening access to offensive capabilities and that patching alone is insufficient to close exposure windows.
