Okta Buys AI Security Startup Permiso for About $200M, Source Says
Identity management giant Okta has agreed to acquire Permiso Security, expanding its capabilities in securing AI agents and machine identities across enterprise operations.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Okta has agreed to acquire AI identity security startup Permiso Security.
- Sources reveal the deal is valued at just under $200 million and structured mostly in cash.
- The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of Okta's fiscal 2027.
- The acquisition bolsters Okta's push into monitoring and securing non-human and AI identities.
Identity management powerhouse Okta has agreed on Thursday to acquire Permiso Security, an AI identity security startup, betting heavily that the demand for safeguarding AI agents and machine identities will surge as enterprises increasingly deploy autonomous software throughout their operations.
While the identity management company chose not to publicly disclose the financial terms of the transaction, a source with direct knowledge of the matter informed TechCrunch that the acquisition carries a valuation of just under $200 million and is structured as an almost all-cash deal. A spokesperson for Okta did not dispute this figure when questioned by TechCrunch, though they declined to comment on specific transaction terms.
This strategic acquisition highlights a critical evolution in enterprise cybersecurity. As organizations embed AI agents and automated software deeper into their workflows, security paradigms are shifting away from traditional perimeter verification at login toward continuous monitoring of what applications and non-human identities actually do once inside the network. Tools like Permiso's SandyClaw—which sandboxes AI agent skills to detect malicious behavior prior to deployment—address an emerging vector of cloud and AI-related threats.
Okta stated that the transaction is anticipated to close in the third quarter of its fiscal 2027, contingent upon customary closing conditions.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
Permiso, which officially emerged from stealth mode in 2022, was co-founded by former FireEye executives Paul Nguyen and Jason Martin. The startup specializes in creating software that enables security teams to flag suspicious activities within cloud environments after users or applications have already been granted access. More recently, the company broadened its platform to monitor AI agents and other machine identities, including the April launch of SandyClaw for analyzing AI agent skills in a sandboxed environment.
Prior to this acquisition, Permiso had raised approximately $29 million in total funding, which included an $18.5 million Series A round in April 2024 led by Altimeter Capital. Insiders familiar with that financing round noted that it valued the Palo Alto-based startup at roughly $80 million on a post-money basis.
Source: TechCrunch
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