Cisco reportedly in talks to acquire AI security startup Astrix for up to $350 million

Cisco Systems Inc. is reportedly in negotiations to acquire Astrix Security Ltd., a startup specializing in securing artificial intelligence agents. The potential deal is valued between $250 million and $350 million, significantly exceeding Astrix's current funding, as reported by Silicon Angle.

Astrix offers a platform designed to automatically identify and secure AI agents within a company's network, detecting their user accounts and the tools they employ. The software scans for vulnerabilities, such as misconfigurations allowing public access to internal agents, and flags agents that pose risks, like a coding assistant with excessive permissions. It provides a centralized dashboard for risk mitigation and includes a just-in-time access feature to limit agent interaction duration with sensitive applications. The platform also monitors for unusual agent activity, revokes malicious agents' permissions, and integrates with third-party cybersecurity tools. Additionally, Astrix streamlines agent provisioning by allowing administrators to pre-configure cybersecurity rules, enabling developers to deploy agents on a self-service basis.

This potential acquisition follows Cisco's recent announcement of its agreement to purchase Galileo Technologies Inc., another AI security firm. 

Source: Silicon Angle