Zscaler to Acquire Symmetry Systems to Use Access Graph for AI Agent Communication

Zscaler, Inc. said it intends to acquire Symmetry Systems, Inc., as both companies focus on visibility for governing AI agent communication at scale. The deal centers on mapping how identities, applications, and data connect so security policies can be applied to agent interactions.

Zscaler linked the initiative to an access governance model that has historically organized human access using identity directories and group-to-application mappings. It said AI agents can use ephemeral identities and inherited permissions, which it described as creating blind spots for what data is accessed, why, and on whose behalf.

Symmetry Systems’ access graph is designed by ingesting enterprise-wide access logs from SaaS applications, public cloud services, data stores, and AI systems. The approach uses AI to correlate those logs into a graph showing which identities access which data and how. Zscaler said it would combine that visibility with the Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange platform to form the basis for policy on agent communication under defined conditions.

Under the arrangement, Symmetry Systems would reveal which identities communicate with which applications and data, and Zscaler would use those relationships as a foundation for policy such as which communications are allowed and under what conditions. Zscaler also outlined capabilities it associated with the combined approach, including deploying AI agents with visibility into what they can access and build least-privilege policies based on granted and actual-use permissions, tracing data lineage through sub-agents and tools, detecting and containing anomalies, and calculating what data and systems would be at risk if an identity or agent is compromised.

“With Symmetry Systems, we are adding the access graph that maps how every identity, application, and data source connects across the enterprise. This foundational visibility is what Zscaler’s Zero Trust Exchange will use to govern agent-to-application and agent-to-agent communication at scale, giving customers the actionable control they need to safely embrace AI,” said Jay Chaudhry, Chairman and CEO of Zscaler. “We believe the dominant security platforms of the AI era will govern how information flows between identities across zero-trust networks,” said Mohit Tiwari, CEO, Symmetry Systems. “Together, Symmetry Systems and Zscaler are building the information flow network for the age of AI.”