Accelerating its aggressive foray into artificial intelligence (AI) security, Palo Alto Networks Inc. on Monday said it has agreed to acquire cybersecurity startup Protect AI. Additionally, the company launched an ambitious AI security platform at the RSA Conference in San Francisco, as well as updates to two of its core products.
The deal to buy Protect AI, which could cost as much as $700 million according to some reports, would buttress Palo Alto Networks’ plans to protect technologies such as AI agents and generative AI. Protect AI specializes in AI-SPM (AI security posture management) that heightens visibility, management, and security for AI and machine learning environments.
Protect AI has “already established itself as an important player in this increasingly critical new area of security,” Palo Alto Networks said in a statement announcing the acquisition.
“With the addition of Protect AI’s existing portfolio of solutions and team of experts, Palo Alto Networks will be well-positioned to offer a wide range of solutions for customers’ current needs, and also be able to continue innovating on delivering new solutions that are needed for this dynamic threat landscape,” said Anand Oswal, senior vice president and general manager at Palo Alto Networks.
Picking up Protect AI is crucial to “more quickly and comprehensively accelerate [our] vision for Prisma AIRS,” said Palo Alto Networks, referencing its new AI security platform that was introduced Monday. The Prisma AIRS features AI model scanning, posture management, AI red teaming and runtime security — along with security for AI agents, the company said. Prisma AIRS will offer security for AI agents, including agents created using no-code/low-code methods, as well as safeguards against impersonation of identities and manipulation of memory, according to Palo Alto Networks.
“AI agents and apps are transforming the way we work and live. In parallel, the attack surface isn’t just expanding, it’s fundamentally changing,” said Lee Klarich, chief product officer for Palo Alto Networks. “The last thing organizations need is more point products to secure their use of AI. Organizations need best-in-class security delivered via the right architecture — platformization is that architecture.”
Palo Alto Networks on Monday also announced major updates to Prisma SASE, its secure access service edge platform, that include the next version of its secure enterprise browser, Prisma Access Browser 2.0.
Additionally, the company enhanced Cortex XSIAM (extended security intelligence and automation management) with an AI-powered alternative to traditional SIEM (security information and event management).
