Why Runtime CADR Matters: Securing the Next Generation of Cloud & AI Applications

First it was EDR, then it was XDR, then there were CDR and ADR, and voila, here we are in the later stages of the cloud revolution and the Age of AI, and we have finally landed on a full-scale detection and response acronym -  CADR - Cloud Application Detection and Response.

At Operant, we believe in a few fundamental principles that drive our approach to making a different kind of CADR that is able to meet the moment and address the critical problems facing cloud and AI stacks in 2025:

1. Runtime matters -> not just eBPF process level scanning, but real, multi-layer real-time capturing and prioritization of the most critical attack vectors across every layer an attack will happen, from infra to APIs
2. Multi-Layer coverage is the only way to actually capture and prioritize the level of actionable context necessary to prevent CADR from becoming a firehose of noise and a pain in the wazoo for SecOps and platform teams
3. Defense must be built in and instantly accessible, not just for remediating open threat vectors, but for preventing similar vectors from opening up in the next deployment cycles - in-line auto-redaction, least privilege for APIs and K8s, and policy bundles that address specific threat vectors such as prompt injection, data exfiltration, and cryptomining, make CADR the active solution that security engineers, platform engineers, and developers can agree on

Enter Operant’s “3D” Runtime Cloud Application Detection and Response (CADR), a paradigm shift in how we approach cloud security. Operant’s 3D Runtime CADR brings discovery, detection, and defense into one platform [a real platform, not just a tool called a platform by the product marketing team ;)], that offers real-time visibility, threat detection, and automated response across all layers of cloud applications. Unlike traditional security measures that rely on periodic scans and predefined rules, CADR operates continuously, adapting to the dynamic nature of cloud environments.

The Critical Need for the “newest DR” -  Cloud Application Detection and Response

Where the "Detection and Response” or “DR” world came from is important for understanding why CADR matters today, and why a Runtime CADR that doesn’t rely on eBPF is that much more important.

The traditional approach to application security – static scanning, periodic testing, and reactive measures – is fundamentally misaligned with modern development practices. Organizations deploying in Kubernetes environments or managing complex API ecosystems need security that operates at runtime, where real threats materialize.

Consider these critical challenges that static solutions simply don’t address:

• Expanded attack surface:  Cloud applications present a vast and diverse attack surface. From APIs and microservices to serverless functions and data stores, attackers have multiple entry points to exploit.
• Evolving Threat Landscape: Cybercriminals are constantly refining their tactics, developing application-specific attacks that bypass traditional security controls. These can include API abuse, data exfiltration through application vulnerabilities, and sophisticated business logic attacks.
• Complexity of Cloud Environments: Cloud applications continuously evolve through updates, integrations, and scaling, making static security measures ineffective.
• Need for Real-Time Insights: Static security analysis often fails to identify runtime vulnerabilities and ongoing attacks. Real-time detection and response are essential to mitigate damage and prevent breaches.

The Rise of AI Applications

Every AI application is, at its core, a cloud application, but suited up. AI apps don’t just run in the cloud, they are the cloud, extended. From LLM-powered copilots to ML-based decision engines, today’s applications don’t just store data but they generate, adapt, and act on it in real time. This is not evolution. It’s a new operating layer, and one that existing security tools weren’t designed to handle.

Against this backdrop, CADR emerges as the security approach specifically designed to address these converging challenges. Runtime security isn’t a “nice-to-have”, it’s the missing layer of the modern stack. A runtime-first approach addresses these challenges by providing security that adapts to applications rather than forcing applications to adapt to security.

The Power of Runtime Protection: The Engine of Effective CADR

An ideal CADR platform provides comprehensive protection for applications without compromising development velocity or requiring code modifications. CADR understands application behavior in real time, correlates across infrastructure, APIs, and AI layers, and responds instantly when something goes wrong. At the heart of a truly effective CADR solution lies Runtime Intelligence. This approach is fundamentally different from traditional application security methods and it overcomes traditional limitations by:

• Observing Dynamic Behavior: Cloud applications, particularly AI-powered ones, exhibit complex and evolving behavior at runtime. Understanding these interactions and data flows in real-time is crucial for identifying anomalies and potential threats that static analysis cannot predict.
• Detecting Runtime-Specific Attacks: Many sophisticated attacks, such as memory-based exploits, API abuse, and manipulation of AI model inferences, only manifest during runtime. Runtime intelligence provides the visibility needed to detect and respond to these threats.
• Understanding Environmental Context: The security posture of a cloud application is heavily influenced by its runtime environment, including configurations and interactions with other services. Runtime analysis provides the necessary context to identify environment-related risks.

Interestingly, some of these capabilities in the runtime context were hoped for in the earlier generation of RASP products “Runtime Application Self-Protection,” but the hopes and needs were not met by that tech.

Yet, fast forward to today, and we are simultaneously proud of what we’ve been able to build here at Operant and wary that security practitioners have dealt with so many unusable runtime solutions in the past that they are understandably wary of wasting time or budget on yet another runtime application protection product that doesn’t actually protect anything. [That’s why our single-step helm install that takes less than 5 minutes is paired with a 7-day free trial, so that security teams who’ve been burned in the past can see for themselves how effective Operant’s Runtime CADR actually is at solving the runtime application detection and response problems that they care about most].

Operant's CADR: Leveraging Runtime Capabilities for Unparalleled Cloud Application Protection

Operant's CADR solution is built on the foundation of powerful runtime capabilities, offering a cutting-edge approach to securing your cloud applications, including those enhanced with AI. Here's how Operant leverages runtime intelligence to deliver superior protection:

• Deep Runtime Visibility: Operant’s Runtime CADR gives full L7+ visibility and context, continuous monitoring, detection, and in-line response capabilities so that your applications are secure and resilient from day one. This deep visibility extends to the intricate workings of AI applications, allowing for the detection of subtle anomalies that might indicate malicious activity or model tampering.
• Non-Intrusive Runtime Analysis: A key differentiator of Operant's approach is its ability to achieve this deep runtime visibility without requiring static code changes. Stop wasting time on static scanners and manual API testing, get automatic API catalogs, real-time insights on vulnerabilities, and prioritized runtime risks from internal, legacy and third party APIs. This is particularly crucial for complex AI applications where code modifications can be intricate and potentially introduce new vulnerabilities.
• Multilayered Runtime Detection: Operant's CADR solution doesn't rely on a single point of observation. It employs a multilayered approach to analyze various aspects of the application's runtime behavior, from network activity and API calls to process execution and data access patterns. This comprehensive analysis provides a holistic view of the application's security posture, enabling the detection of sophisticated, multi-stage attacks targeting even the most intelligent AI applications.
• Real-Time Threat Blocking: Operant takes response beyond simple alerts. By understanding the context of a detected threat within the runtime environment, Operant protects your internal and 3rd party API interactions with K8s-native controls for protocol specific authentication, authorization, traffic rate limiting, API to API microsegmentation, and more and can orchestrate intelligent and automated responses to contain and mitigate the attack in real-time. This rapid response capability is essential for minimizing the impact of attacks on critical cloud applications, including AI systems that power core business functions.
• Live Security Graphs: Get an instant view of your entire live API blueprint, across dev, staging and prod. With an intuitive graph interface, fly through risk, context, and threat models for public and internal API endpoints.

In the age of Cloud Applications + AI, a security strategy that doesn't prioritize real-time detection and response based on runtime intelligence is fundamentally flawed. Operant's CADR solution, with its deep, non-intrusive runtime capabilities and multilayered detection engine, provides the essential visibility and control needed to effectively secure your most critical cloud assets in this evolving threat landscape.

Runtime CADR is a different beast to combat a different beast

As cloud applications continue to evolve in complexity and importance, security approaches must adapt accordingly. Runtime-based protection that operates in real-time providing  multilayered detection and response represents the future of application security enabling organizations to move quickly while maintaining robust defenses.

In this new AI landscape, multilayered detection and response capabilities are essential for identifying and blocking sophisticated threats that target different aspects of modern applications. As AI becomes increasingly central to business operations, security solutions must evolve to address the unique challenges of these "suited up" cloud applications.

Products like Operant's 3D Runtime CADR platform stand at the forefront of this security revolution, providing organizations with the runtime protection they need to secure today's cloud applications and tomorrow's AI innovations. By embracing this approach, security teams can finally keep pace with development velocity while ensuring comprehensive protection across all application layers.

Don’t trust tools by default.  Discover, Detect & Defend them at runtime. We invite you to try Operant’s powerful Runtime AI Protection platform to see for yourself how easy comprehensive security can be for your entire AI application environment.

‍Sign up for a 7-day free trial to experience the power and simplicity of 3D Runtime Defense for yourself.