Cisco to Acquire Astrix Security to Strengthen AI and Identity Protection
The startup’s technology provides tools for discovering AI agents, managing their lifecycle, monitoring activity, and responding to threats in real time.
Cisco has announced plans to acquire Astrix Security Ltd., a specialist in non-human identity (NHI) security, as it moves to address emerging risks tied to the rapid rise of AI agents in enterprise environments.
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
The deal to acquire Astris Security was first reported in March earlier this year.
The acquisition comes as organisations increasingly deploy AI agents that can access systems, make decisions, and execute tasks autonomously.
While these agents promise productivity gains, they also introduce new security vulnerabilities, particularly around credentials such as API keys, service accounts, and OAuth tokens.
"The addition of Astrix Security brings deep capability to discover and secure every AI agent and non-human identity (NHI), including excessive privileges and real-time threats, enabling organisations to adopt AI securely and at scale," Peter Bailey, Cisco SVP, GM Security, said.
The startup’s technology provides tools for discovering AI agents, managing their lifecycle, monitoring activity, and responding to threats in real time.
Industry data highlights the urgency of the issue. According to Cisco’s AI Readiness Index, only 24% of organisations currently have adequate controls to govern AI agent behaviour, while just 31% feel fully prepared to secure their AI systems.
Cisco plans to integrate Astrix’s capabilities into its broader security platform, including identity intelligence and zero trust solutions such as Cisco Secure Access and Duo.
The combined offering is expected to improve visibility across enterprise systems and enable organisations to authenticate and monitor AI-driven activities more effectively.
"What began as a mission to bring visibility and control to NHIs evolved into something bigger: a platform purpose-built for the age of agentic AI - where autonomous agents already operate inside your most sensitive systems, holding privileged access, largely unseen. That gap is the next great attack surface. Closing it is the work that matters.
"Cisco built the infrastructure that brought the world online. Now, as AI agents become the enterprise's new connective layer, they're positioned to do it again - defining how agents connect, act, and operate securely. Same mission. Natural evolution," Idan Gour, Astrix Security Co-Founder & President, said.
The move builds on Cisco’s broader investments in AI security, including tools for protecting AI models, monitoring infrastructure, and automating threat detection through platforms like Splunk.
