Okta & Palo Alto Networks expand AI security integrations

Palo Alto Networks and Okta have announced the expansion of their partnership with new integrations designed to create a unified security architecture that improves identity-based defences across enterprise environments.

The collaboration focuses on improving the interoperability of both companies' AI-driven security solutions, making it possible for organisations to integrate identity into their core security infrastructure. This aims to create a real-time, unified defence system that addresses operational challenges, while also delivering efficiencies in both cost and complexity.

New integrations

A key feature of the expanded partnership is a new native integration between Okta Workforce Identity and the Palo Alto Networks Prisma Access Browser. This enables enterprises to enforce conditional access controls by restricting access to single sign-on (SSO) applications solely through the secure browser option.

Another central component is an integration between Identity Threat Protection with Okta AI and Palo Alto Networks' Cortex SecOps platform. This provides organisations with a consolidated view of identity-related risks spanning their digital footprint. The integration extends to both Cortex XSIAM and Cortex XDR, providing a mechanism for thorough response to sophisticated attacks.

AI is supercharging attacks on user credentials, requiring a 'fight AI with AI' approach that brings identity directly into an organisation's security infrastructure for a real-time and unified response. With Palo Alto Networks, Okta is proud to enhance the interoperability of our AI-powered platforms to prevent risks of siloed tools, providing nearly 2000 joint customers with a comprehensive view of their security posture, context-aware access controls, and secure authentication to stay ahead of today's threats.

This was stated by Stephen Lee, Vice President of Technology Partnerships at Okta.

Identity plays a critical role in cybersecurity. Our deep integrations with Okta ensure that our solutions are engineered to work together, making it easier for our customers to achieve higher levels of security and user experience. These new integrations, from securing application access with Prisma Access Browser to providing unified protection against identity threats through our Cortex platform, empower organisations with comprehensive, AI-driven defence.

This comment was provided by Pam Cyr, Vice President of Technical Partnerships at Palo Alto Networks.

Operational benefits

The companies report that the two new integrations offer a route for joint customers to secure their operations while reducing both operational costs and technological complexity. The integration of Okta Workforce Identity and Prisma Access Browser, for example, enables employees to securely access corporate web applications and data from both managed and unmanaged devices. This occurs without compromising enterprise security and is intended to provide a consistent, secure, and efficient experience for users while giving security teams improved oversight and control of web application usage.

Further, the integration of Okta's Identity Threat Protection solution with Cortex XSIAM and Cortex XDR platforms enables dynamic enforcement of extra authentication steps in response to risky access and user activity. The system can trigger automated responses to security incidents, such as revoking user access, ending active sessions, or quarantining affected endpoints.

Industry context

The partnership's developments are in response to an evolving threat landscape, where attacks are increasingly sophisticated and require rapid, coordinated responses across security and identity systems.

"CISOs are clear: to move at pace with the threat landscape, security teams need integrated platforms, not just more solutions. With the rapid adoption of cloud services, SaaS applications, remote work, and now the advent of AI, organisations are being challenged by added complexity and gaps in security tools. By unifying their offerings, Okta and Palo Alto Networks are helping customers streamline operations, reduce complexity, and improve coverage of the attack surface," Maxine Holt, Vice President, Enterprise & Channel Research at Omdia, stated.

The partnership between Okta and Palo Alto Networks is focused on helping organisations meet current security challenges by consolidating identity-driven defences and reducing technology silos in enterprise security environments.