Cisco to Acquire Astrix Security for $400 Million to Secure Non-Human Identities
Cisco has announced its intent to acquire Astrix Security for approximately $400 million to strengthen its ability to secure non-human identities and AI-driven agents.
Cisco has announced its intent to acquire Astrix Security, a startup specializing in the management and protection of non-human identities (NHIs). This strategic move is designed to bolster Cisco’s security portfolio by addressing the unique risks posed by the growing use of API keys, service accounts, and OAuth tokens within enterprise environments SecurityWeek.
The acquisition focuses on securing the "agentic workforce," a term describing the rapid proliferation of AI agents and machine-to-machine identities that have significantly expanded the modern enterprise attack surface. Astrix Security provides technology capable of discovering, governing, and securing these non-human identities, which are increasingly critical as organizations integrate more autonomous AI systems into their workflows SecurityWeek.
Technically, the Astrix platform offers visibility into the activity of AI-driven agents and provides lifecycle management for machine identities. Its core capabilities include the automated detection and remediation of over-privileged or unnecessary access, as well as the identification of malicious behavior, such as the use of compromised credentials or rogue agent activity. By integrating these features, Cisco aims to enhance its existing identity intelligence, secure access, and Duo IAM offerings SecurityWeek.
While the financial terms of the deal were not officially disclosed by Cisco, reports from *Calcalist* value the acquisition at approximately $400 million SecurityWeek. This follows a successful $45 million Series B funding round for Astrix Security in late 2024, highlighting the company's rapid growth and the high market demand for specialized NHI security solutions SecurityWeek.
The move underscores a broader industry shift toward addressing the security challenges inherent in autonomous AI and machine-to-machine communication. As AI adoption accelerates, analysts have noted an urgent need for enterprises to gain better control over non-human identities, which are often overlooked in traditional identity and access management programs. By bringing Astrix into its ecosystem, Cisco is positioning itself to provide more robust defenses against the evolving risks associated with these automated entities SecurityWeek.