This article was written and contributed by, CRN and Barry Mainz.
What is the biggest market opportunity you and your channel partners will tackle together in 2026?
If we thought a hospital shutdown or grounded flight was bad, imagine both hitting at once, before the security team can even log in. That's the level of convergence threat actors are aiming for. In 2026, we're not dealing with more complex attacks -- we're dealing with faster ones. Threat actors are accelerating their operations with AI, automation, and tight execution. Monoculture doesn't help. Relying on a single stack has created systemic risk. For Forescout and our partners, it isn't just an opportunity, but an obligation to match that speed with smarter, unified defense. That means turning attacker tools into defender assets, especially when it comes to visibility and access control. Together with our partners, we're leading the shift to Universal Zero Trust Network Access. UZTNA is the evolution of Zero Trust built for today's hybrid, device-diverse reality. It applies continuous, contextual access control across all connected devices -- far beyond what legacy ZTNA or SASE solutions were ever designed to. We're not just reacting to the threat landscape. We're reshaping how we respond and stay ahead of it.
What are the key technology investments you plan to make in 2026?
We've been investing in AI at Forescout for years -- across asset discovery, posture assessment, and automated enforcement -- to provide our partners and customers with the speed and accuracy they need to respond to vulnerabilities. In 2026, we're taking another leap forward by scaling Agentic AI across the Forescout platform to help security teams move faster and work smarter. Our goal isn't just more automation; it's making technology work for people. This ensures customers get real outcomes -- fast -- whether they're deep in SecOps or making strategic calls. And as always, we're continuing to evolve the 4D platform to stay ahead of what's next by combining asset intelligence, risk insight, and dynamic access control in a unified approach that keeps getting stronger. The goal in 2026 is clear: operational AI, not theoretical AI. Technology that does the work, not just reports on it.
What impact do you expect AI to have on the business you and your partners do together in 2026?
In 2026, AI will no longer be a tool -- it will be a threat actor. Forescout Vedere Labs has already seen generative AI in the hands of attackers, enabling early-stage autonomous attacks: AI systems generating phishing, morphing payloads, and adapting in real time without human control. That's why it's critical that AI doesn't just live in the hands of the attacker. It has to be in the hands of the defender. Therefore, AI is fundamentally changing how we do and defend business. Reactive solutions aren't enough anymore. Customers are looking for partners who can deliver prevention at speed, driven by embedded, operational AI. At Forescout, we're working with partners to equip security teams, whether that be automated responses or contextual decisions. We don't bolt-on AI, we build it in. That's how we help customers act before an attack ever lands. And that's the future we're building across our ecosystem.
What do you see as the toughest challenges facing customers in 2026?
Chaos, driven by complexity and blind spots. Security teams are still grappling with fragmented environments, layered tech stacks, and zero visibility into legacy OT and unmanaged IoT. That's why we're focused on helping customers move from reactive to proactive. For example, we're operationalizing Zero Trust theory into execution with UZTNA -- where every identity and device, across every connection point, is continuously verified, risk-scored, and dynamically controlled. The "Universal" in UZTNA matters. It must apply across every connection point to ensure east-west control is delivered alongside north-south visibility. 2026 is also the year quantum readiness becomes real. Forescout research found that while 40% of IT assets are post-quantum capable, only 11% of OT and just 2% of IoMT are. The problem isn't urgency -- it's visibility. Most teams simply don't know what they're running. We're here to fix that.
What is the key to success for your channel partners in 2026?
In 2026, the partners who secure faster will sell faster. Speed and specialization will define the winners -- those who help customers adapt quickly to AI-driven threats, secure aging infrastructure, and prepare for a post-quantum world. That means giving customers full visibility into every asset, enforcing least privilege access, and unifying policy enforcement across hybrid environments (without slowing operations down). Forescout's platform gives our partners an edge: from real-time asset discovery to dynamic segmentation, we're enabling security that actually works across the full attack surface. Partners who help customers consolidate tools, eliminate monoculture risks, and move toward adaptive defense will be the most valuable players in the room.
My top priority for 2026 is:
Execution. Attackers are no longer winning because they have better tools. They're winning because they're using them better, from faster decisions to tighter integration to fewer excuses. I want to close that gap. We're helping organizations operationalize Universal Zero Trust, embed AI into their workflows, and move from static defenses to dynamic control. We're ensuring they don't just see their environments -- they control them. And we're pushing for action on quantum, visibility, and risk -- not next year, but right now. 2026 will separate the organizations that adapt from those that delay. The planning phase is over. This is execution time.