Blab Tech
AgileBlue Launches Strategic Advisory Group to Bridge Decision Gap for Mid-Market Cybersecurity
In a world where every click can trigger a cyber‑attack, AgileBlue, a Cleveland‑based cybersecurity firm, announced on October 8 2026 that it is launching a Strategic Advisory Group. The new service pairs the company’s AI‑native security platform with seasoned human experts, giving mid‑market businesses the decision‑making muscle they need to act on the threats that matter most.
Mid‑market firms—those with revenues between $10 million and $1 billion—often buy sophisticated security tools but lack the staff or expertise to interpret the alerts those tools generate. “Most of our clients don’t have a tool problem. They have a decisions problem,” said senior security consultant Andrew Desender. The advisory group fills that gap by delivering fractional security leadership and guidance that larger vendors typically overlook.
AgileBlue’s core platform ingests telemetry from Microsoft environments, firewalls, email gateways and other sources. It runs machine‑learning models built into the platform—an approach the firm calls “AI‑native”—to correlate feeds and flag suspicious activity in real time. When a threat is detected, automated playbooks can isolate affected hosts while analysts investigate. The advisory group extends this capability into areas the software alone cannot cover, such as vulnerability management, user‑awareness training and operational technology (OT) protection.
Each engagement begins with a detailed mapping of the client’s critical processes, regulatory obligations and risk appetite. Tabletop exercises test assumptions and often expose unexpected exposures. In one case, a client believed its IT systems—email, servers and office network—were the most vulnerable. A joint scenario revealed that the OT environment running core operations posed a greater risk, prompting a shift in protection priorities.
Ohio’s cybersecurity ecosystem presents particular challenges, the company noted. Co‑founder and president Tony Pietrocola said the state’s talent pool is strong, but funding for new innovations moves slowly. “There have been some green shoots developing to solve this but they are moving slowly,” Pietrocola said. The advisory group is intended to help firms navigate these constraints by providing expert guidance without the cost of a full in‑house security team.
To focus remediation efforts, AgileBlue relies on risk‑based frameworks. The platform incorporates the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog and the Exploit Prediction Scoring System (EPSS) to prioritize flaws most likely to be exploited. The firm also stresses that AI is only as good as the person using it. “AI is only as good as the person using it. When I use it, it reflects my own knowledge back at me,” Desender said.
Incident response is another focus area. The company recommends a measured approach: “Stop, breathe, think, then act,” Desender said, comparing the process to scuba diving. Regular testing of incident‑response plans keeps teams calm and effective when a real event occurs.
Today, AgileBlue’s Strategic Advisory Group is available to mid‑market companies across the United States. The firm emphasizes early engagement, encouraging clients to strengthen their security posture before a regulatory trigger or incident forces a reactive response. No new product launches or regulatory actions are announced at this time.
The advisory group represents a growing trend of cybersecurity firms offering fractional leadership to fill the decision‑making gap that many mid‑market organizations face. By combining AI‑native detection with human guidance, AgileBlue aims to help these businesses protect the systems that truly drive their operations.
Mid‑market firms—those with revenues between $10 million and $1 billion—often buy sophisticated security tools but lack the staff or expertise to interpret the alerts those tools generate. “Most of our clients don’t have a tool problem. They have a decisions problem,” said senior security consultant Andrew Desender. The advisory group fills that gap by delivering fractional security leadership and guidance that larger vendors typically overlook.
AgileBlue’s core platform ingests telemetry from Microsoft environments, firewalls, email gateways and other sources. It runs machine‑learning models built into the platform—an approach the firm calls “AI‑native”—to correlate feeds and flag suspicious activity in real time. When a threat is detected, automated playbooks can isolate affected hosts while analysts investigate. The advisory group extends this capability into areas the software alone cannot cover, such as vulnerability management, user‑awareness training and operational technology (OT) protection.
Each engagement begins with a detailed mapping of the client’s critical processes, regulatory obligations and risk appetite. Tabletop exercises test assumptions and often expose unexpected exposures. In one case, a client believed its IT systems—email, servers and office network—were the most vulnerable. A joint scenario revealed that the OT environment running core operations posed a greater risk, prompting a shift in protection priorities.
Ohio’s cybersecurity ecosystem presents particular challenges, the company noted. Co‑founder and president Tony Pietrocola said the state’s talent pool is strong, but funding for new innovations moves slowly. “There have been some green shoots developing to solve this but they are moving slowly,” Pietrocola said. The advisory group is intended to help firms navigate these constraints by providing expert guidance without the cost of a full in‑house security team.
To focus remediation efforts, AgileBlue relies on risk‑based frameworks. The platform incorporates the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog and the Exploit Prediction Scoring System (EPSS) to prioritize flaws most likely to be exploited. The firm also stresses that AI is only as good as the person using it. “AI is only as good as the person using it. When I use it, it reflects my own knowledge back at me,” Desender said.
Incident response is another focus area. The company recommends a measured approach: “Stop, breathe, think, then act,” Desender said, comparing the process to scuba diving. Regular testing of incident‑response plans keeps teams calm and effective when a real event occurs.
Today, AgileBlue’s Strategic Advisory Group is available to mid‑market companies across the United States. The firm emphasizes early engagement, encouraging clients to strengthen their security posture before a regulatory trigger or incident forces a reactive response. No new product launches or regulatory actions are announced at this time.
The advisory group represents a growing trend of cybersecurity firms offering fractional leadership to fill the decision‑making gap that many mid‑market organizations face. By combining AI‑native detection with human guidance, AgileBlue aims to help these businesses protect the systems that truly drive their operations.
