Okta has agreed to acquire Permiso Security for approximately $200 million. The identity management firm aims to expand its security fabric as companies deploy more autonomous software and AI agents.
Deal details
Okta confirmed the transaction on Thursday but did not release specific terms. TechCrunch sources indicate the deal is structured almost entirely in cash. A company spokesperson did not dispute the valuation when asked but declined to comment on further specifics.
Legal and regulatory conditions must be met before the acquisition closes in the third quarter of fiscal 2027.
Why Okta is buying
Identity providers are moving beyond simple login verification. They now focus on monitoring what users, applications, and AI agents do after gaining network access. This shift has increased competition to secure machine identities as enterprises embed artificial intelligence deeper into daily operations.
Permiso launched from stealth in 2022. Its software detects suspicious activity in cloud environments once access is granted. The startup recently expanded its platform to monitor AI agents and other machine identities specifically.
Co-founded by former FireEye executives Paul Nguyen and Jason Martin, Permiso specialises in spotting attacks that use stolen or compromised identities to move through cloud infrastructure. In April, the company introduced SandyClaw. This platform analyses AI agent skills in a sandboxed environment to identify malicious behaviour before deployment.
Impact for security teams
For organisations managing permissions, this acquisition adds a layer of protection for non-human identities alongside traditional user management. Okta’s chief product officer Ely Kahn stated that Permiso will extend the company’s security fabric with proven identity threat detection and response capabilities. He also noted that Permiso’s threat research and security team will advance Okta’s threat detection and prevention efforts.
Permiso has raised about $29 million in total funding. An $18.5 million Series A round in April 2024, led by Altimeter Capital, valued the Palo Alto-based startup at approximately $80 million on a post-money basis.
