Okta Acquires Permiso to Boost AI Security

Okta, a leader in digital identity management, has reached an agreement to acquire Permiso Security, a startup focused on protecting AI agents and automated programs. In the tech market, this step indicates a sharply growing demand to secure machine identities at a time when enterprises are widely using autonomous software in their operations, reports Techcrunch.com reports .

Although Okta has not officially disclosed the terms of the deal, sources cited by TechCrunch report that the acquisition is valued at approximately $200 million and is being conducted largely in cash. Okta representatives have not denied this figure, but declined to clarify financial details. The deal is expected to close in the third quarter of Okta's fiscal year 2027.

A Strategic Step Toward AI Security

The modern cybersecurity market is moving beyond verifying user logins to continuously monitoring the actions of applications and AI agents granted network access. This shift intensifies the competition to protect machine identities as enterprises integrate AI deeper into their workflows.

Founded in 2022, the Permiso team develops software that helps detect suspicious activity in cloud environments after users or applications gain access. Recently, the startup expanded its platform with capabilities to monitor AI agents and other machine identities.

Experts and Technological Capabilities

Founded by former FireEye executives Paul Nguyen and Jason Martin, Permiso specializes in detecting attacks that move across cloud infrastructure using stolen or compromised credentials. In April, the startup introduced the SandyClaw platform, which analyzes the capabilities of AI agents in a secure environment and detects malicious behavior before they are launched.

As Okta Chief Product Officer Ely Kahn noted, this acquisition significantly enhances the company's capability to protect AI agents and other non-human identities. In turn, Permiso brings its strong security and threat research team into Okta.

For context, Permiso had raised a total of around $29 million in funding. Following an $18.5 million Series A funding round led by Altimeter Capital in April 2024, the Palo Alto-based startup was valued at $80 million.