Pluto Security raises $42M as AI gives enterprise security teams a new headache

Pluto Security, a new startup focused on AI security, has raised $42 million in funding to help businesses address the growing concerns of security gaps resulting from the rapid adoption of AI tools. Co-founded by Shahar Bahat, the company has already secured $8.5 million in a seed round led by TLV Partners and investments from Armis' founders. A subsequent Series A round of $34 million was led by Jump Capital, with participation from Skinos and other angel investors.

Bahat claims that AI tools can infiltrate corporate environments as quickly as two hours after their release, and that about 60% of the risks Pluto Security detects are from non-developers, with Finance departments being the biggest source of risks, followed by marketing and legal teams. Developers rank fourth in terms of risks. Pluto's AI security tools have been found in action in Fortune 500 companies, including Oscar Health, Workato, Sixt, and AlphaSense.

The startup's technology helps companies gain context, risk analysis, visibility, and control over how employees use AI tools. It monitors AI tools, skills, extensions, MCP servers, and other components used by those tools, as well as apps and agents being created. Pluto connects to existing security systems, deploying its own sensors, gathering data, and using lightweight models on endpoints to assess potential threats.

It can intervene to stop an agent from gaining unauthorized permissions or add confirmation prompts, allowing employees to continue using AI tools without hindrance.

Bahat emphasizes that securing AI environments requires attention to what AI agents are doing in real time, not just user behavior. The startup is seeing risks in various organizations, regardless of their size or industry, and believes that AI security tools must adapt to this changing landscape. With the new funding, Pluto Security plans to develop its product, expand its security research efforts, and grow its presence in the U.S.