How can enterprises keep systems safe as AI agents join human employees? Cyata launches with a new, dedicated solution

The evolution of generative AI is not just a passing trend; it marks the beginning of a new era for enterprises, especially as they integrate AI agents into their workforce. A striking 96% of IT and data executives plan to enhance their AI usage this year, according to a recent Cloudera survey discussed by CIO. However, this shift raises critical questions about securing organizational software, data, and digital infrastructure as these autonomous agents begin to operate independently with minimal human intervention. Cyata, a cybersecurity startup based in Tel Aviv, has emerged from stealth mode, ready to address these pressing challenges. With $8.5 million in seed funding led by TLV Partners and contributions from notable angel investors, including former Cellebrite executives Ron Serber and Yossi Carmil, Cyata is set to make waves in the industry. Shahar Tal, the co-founder and CEO, who previously held a key position at Cellebrite, emphasizes that we are witnessing a paradigm shift akin to the transition to cloud computing. Enterprises now require new frameworks to manage the speed and autonomy of AI systems. Cyata's platform offers a specialized solution designed to oversee what it terms 'agentic identities'—AI entities that execute tasks autonomously. Tal elaborates on the unique challenges these agents pose: they can spring into action in milliseconds, replicate into sub-agents, and perform privileged operations, often outpacing traditional identity and access management systems. The startup's offering includes three key integrated capabilities, positioning it as the control hub for authenticating autonomous digital workers. Upon an agent's authentication, Cyata tracks its activities and enforces the principle of least privilege in real-time. The platform automatically scans cloud and Software as a Service (SaaS) environments to identify all active AI agents and associate them with human owners, monitoring their behavior for any anomalies that may indicate risky access. One standout feature of Cyata is its ability to engage with agents in natural language to ascertain their intentions. When an agent attempts to perform a task, Cyata prompts it for clarification, assessing its justification using both rules-based logic and AI. Tal highlights the advantage of AI agents communicating in English, allowing for clear explanations that can be evaluated for validity. Cyata is also prepared to counteract potential threats from malicious agents employed by hackers. The platform incorporates mechanisms to verify the legitimacy of agent actions, evaluating their history and behavior to determine risk levels effectively. Rapid deployment is a priority for Cyata, promising organizations quick integration with popular platforms like Microsoft Copilot and Salesforce Agent Force. The growing utilization of AI agents extends beyond just technical teams. Cyata has observed a wider adoption across various sectors, including sales, finance, and support, making centralized governance essential. Companies often uncover unexpected patterns of usage once Cyata is implemented, revealing instances where tools like Cursor or Copilot operate with elevated permissions or access sensitive data without supervision. Cyata's versatile platform allows for passive monitoring as well as active enforcement, enabling security teams to manage it without disrupting existing workflows. The pricing model is based on the number of managed agentic identities, and Cyata aims not only to address current security gaps but also to prepare organizations for the future landscape of work. With a team comprised of cybersecurity experts from Unit 8200, Check Point, and Cellebrite, Cyata stands poised to lead in this emerging field. The company will present new findings at the upcoming Black Hat conference and is actively forming partnerships to enhance integrations with identity vendors and enterprise platforms. As AI agents continue to proliferate, Cyata is betting on the necessity for enterprises to adopt robust tools to understand and manage their digital workforce.