Okta Acquires AI Security Startup Permiso for Approximately $200M
Okta has agreed to acquire AI identity security startup Permiso Security in a deal valued at just under $200 million, according to sources. The acquisition is expected to close in the third quarter of Okta's fiscal year 2027 and will be structured as an almost all-cash transaction. The move reflects growing demand for securing AI agents and machine identities within enterprise environments. Permiso specializes in detecting threats involving compromised or stolen credentials, particularly in cloud infrastructure. The startup recently introduced SandyClaw, a platform that analyzes AI agent behavior to identify malicious activity before deployment. Okta aims to strengthen its identity security offerings by integrating Permiso's threat detection capabilities and research team into its existing framework. This acquisition aligns with broader industry trends toward continuous monitoring of user and machine activities beyond traditional login verification.