CISO Tribune

Vendor comparison · 2 companies

Aqua Security vs Orca Security

Aqua Security sells a cloud native application protection platform that secures applications from development through production, along with a Secure AI product for AI applications. The Orca Cloud Security Platform discovers risks across code, cloud, runtime, and AI. CISO Tribune files both under Cloud-native application protection (CNAPP) and Cloud workload protection. This page sets the two records side by side: what each sells, where it is based, who owns and funds it, the customers it names and its recent news, each fact numbered to its source.

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Up to four companies side by side.

  • Aqua Security
  • Orca Security
Aqua Security vs Orca Security: Products, Customers and Funding Compared
Aqua SecurityAqua Security sells a cloud native application protection platform that secures applications from development through production, along with a Secure AI product for AI applications.aquasec.comOrca SecurityThe Orca Cloud Security Platform discovers risks across code, cloud, runtime, and AI.orca.security
What it sells
  • Aqua Security PlatformCloud native application protection platform for development through production.
  • Orca Sensor[4][13]Provides runtime visibility and protection that extends the capabilities of the Orca Cloud Security Platform.
  • API Security[12][14]Identifies, prioritizes, and addresses API misconfigurations and security risks across a cloud estate, without agents or network changes.
  • AI AppGen Security[10]Provides posture management for applications built on AI app generator platforms like Replit, Lovable, Vercel, and Bolt.
Categories
Headquarters
Boston, United States[1]Not stated on its pages
Founded
2015[1][5]Not stated on its pages
Ownership and funding
Privately held[4][5][6]Not stated on its pages
Named customers
Not stated on its pagesNot stated on its pages
Recent news
  • February 12, 2026Aqua Security announced the next phase of its company transformation, centered on helping enterprises reduce cloud risk faster.[8]
  • September 16, 2026Orca Security announced a new global Partner POD Program and an AI-powered Partner Success Platform for its partners.[17]
  • May 12, 2026Orca Security announced it was included in Rising in Cyber 2026, an annual list from Notable Capital covering 30 private cybersecurity startups.[6]
  • April 13, 2026Orca Security announced a strategic distribution agreement with TD SYNNEX covering North America.[5]
G2 and Gartner Peer Insights
  • G2: Not stated on its pages
  • Gartner Peer Insights: Not stated on its pages
  • G2: listed, seen November 10, 2026[7]
  • Gartner Peer Insights: Not stated on its pages
Who it fits
From its own pages, Aqua Security sells mainly to organizations running cloud native applications and workloads in containers, Kubernetes, serverless functions and VMs. Aqua Security says its platform covers public cloud, private cloud, hybrid cloud and on-premises environments, including air gapped settings. Secure AI is aimed at teams running AI applications on Kubernetes and IBM Z mainframes.Not written yet
Last verified
September 27, 2026September 27, 2026

Where they overlap

  • Cloud-native application protection (CNAPP) is the primary category of both Aqua Security and Orca Security; both are also filed under Cloud workload protection.

Where they differ, field by field

  • Aqua Security is also filed under Software supply chain security. Orca Security is also filed under Cloud detection and response.
  • Aqua Security lists Aqua Security Platform. Orca Security lists Orca Sensor, API Security and AI AppGen Security.
  • Aqua Security is headquartered in Boston, United States.
  • Aqua Security was founded in 2015.
  • Aqua Security is privately held.

How they differ

CISO Tribune files both Aqua Security and Orca Security under Cloud-native application protection (CNAPP) as the primary category, and both also appear under cloud workload protection. Aqua Security sells the Aqua Security Platform, which covers applications from development through production, plus a Secure AI product for AI applications. Aqua Security says its platform turns runtime insight into inline enforcement and that its agent-based architecture enforces protection locally, even in air gapped environments. Orca Security sells the Orca Cloud Security Platform, which it describes as agentless-first, along with Orca Sensor, an eBPF-based component for runtime visibility and protection. Orca Security also sells API Security and AI AppGen Security, which covers apps built on platforms like Replit, Lovable, Vercel, and Bolt.

Both companies address AI workloads: Aqua Security through Secure AI, which blocks prompt injection and jailbreaks, and Orca Security through runtime monitoring that detects prompt injection patterns and model exfiltration attempts. Both describe coverage across public cloud, private cloud, and on-premises environments. Aqua Security is headquartered in Boston, United States, was founded in 2015, and is privately held. Orca Security brought its platform to market in 2019 and has raised nearly $630 million at a $1.8 billion valuation, with investors including Capital G, ICONIQ, GGV, and SVCI. Orca Security says its customers range from Fortune 500 enterprises to cloud-native disruptors.

On February 12, 2026, Aqua Security announced the next phase of its company transformation, centered on helping enterprises reduce cloud risk faster. Orca Security announced a Partner POD Program on September 16, 2026, and a distribution agreement with TD SYNNEX covering North America on April 13, 2026.

What it sells: Aqua Security

What Aqua Security Platform does
The Aqua Security Platform connects risk in code and images with live workload behavior. Aqua Security says it brings together application risk, runtime visibility, threat detection, prevention and response.

What it sells: Orca Security

What Orca Sensor does[4][13]
Orca Sensor monitors runtime activity across public cloud, private cloud, and on-premises environments. Orca Sensor uses eBPF-based technology to deliver runtime visibility and protection. Orca Sensor identifies whether a vulnerable package is actually being executed.
What API Security does[12][14]
Orca provides security teams with a full inventory of APIs and related web domains in their cloud estate, and API-related security and compliance risks, without agents. Orca continuously monitors API behavior and usage and alerts teams to potentially unwanted API drift. Orca scans a cloud estate and surfaces potentially hazardous API security risks, providing actionable data and remediation suggestions.
What AI AppGen Security does[10]
AI AppGen Security continuously discovers apps built on those platforms and identifies the misconfigurations they ship with by default. AI AppGen Security connects each finding to the surrounding cloud environment.

Questions about Aqua Security and Orca Security

What do Aqua Security and Orca Security sell?
Aqua Security sells Aqua Security Platform. Orca Security sells Orca Sensor, API Security and AI AppGen Security.
Are Aqua Security and Orca Security in the same category?
Yes. Cloud-native application protection (CNAPP) is the primary category of both on CISO Tribune.
Where are Aqua Security and Orca Security headquartered?
Aqua Security is headquartered in Boston, United States.
When were Aqua Security and Orca Security founded?
Aqua Security was founded in 2015.
Who owns Aqua Security and Orca Security?
Aqua Security is privately held.
Who are Aqua Security and Orca Security sold to?
From its own pages, Aqua Security sells mainly to organizations running cloud native applications and workloads in containers, Kubernetes, serverless functions and VMs.
What have Aqua Security and Orca Security announced recently?
February 12, 2026: Aqua Security announced the next phase of its company transformation, centered on helping enterprises reduce cloud risk faster. September 16, 2026: Orca Security announced a new global Partner POD Program and an AI-powered Partner Success Platform for its partners.

About Aqua Security

Aqua Security sells a cloud native application protection platform that secures applications from development through production, along with a Secure AI product for AI applications. Aqua Security says its platform brings together application risk, runtime visibility, threat detection, prevention and response.

Aqua Security describes the problem it addresses as follows: sensors collect and report back for a human to act on, and security teams are flooded with alerts they cannot prioritize because they lack production context. Aqua Security also says scanning only finds what is already known. Aqua Security says its platform turns runtime insight into inline enforcement, denying unauthorized actions at the point of execution.

The Aqua Security platform connects risk in code and images with live workload behavior. Aqua Security says it filters vulnerability risk based on what is actually executing in the workload, and that it applies compensating controls at runtime to stop exploitation without waiting for a patch. Aqua Security says its agent-based architecture enforces protection locally, even when environments are disconnected or air gapped.

Secure AI is the Aqua Security product for AI applications. Secure AI finds the AI models running in applications and protects them at two layers, blocking prompt injection and jailbreaks and denying supported actions such as credential theft or data exfiltration inside the workload. Secure AI also discovers AI models, providers, frameworks and versions in use across workloads, and lets security teams authorize specific AI services and models. Aqua Security says Secure AI scans repositories and CI/CD pipelines for undocumented AI use.

Secure AI is delivered without an application SDK or code rewrite. Runtime protection for the workload runs through the Aquasec Enforcer, the same component that protects containers and Kubernetes. Secure AI protects AI applications in containers and Kubernetes across public cloud, private cloud, hybrid and on premises environments, including containerized AI on IBM Z mainframes. Through a partnership with Akamai, Akamai Firewall for AI Applications adds prompt and output analysis at the edge.

Aqua Security says it protects cloud native applications and workloads across public cloud, private cloud, hybrid cloud and on-premises environments, across containers, Kubernetes and other cloud native workloads. Aqua Security describes its integrations as covering clouds, container and serverless platforms, CI/CD pipelines, registries, DevOps tools and orchestrators, through to Security, SIEM and Analytics.

Aqua Security describes itself as one of the most established Israeli cybersecurity companies.[2][3]

Aqua Security on the record

Sources

Aqua Security full record

  1. [1]60m additional fundingAqua Security · aquasec.com · published January 3, 2024 · Tier A
  2. [2]Aqua cloud native security platformAqua Security · aquasec.com · undated page, accessed September 27, 2026 · Tier A
  3. [3]aquasec.comAqua Security · aquasec.com · undated page, accessed September 27, 2026 · Tier A
  4. [4]Aqua security hires datto veteran as cmo eyes potential ipoAqua Security · aquasec.com · published July 27, 2021 · Tier A
  5. [5]Aqua Cloud Native Security, Container & Serverless SecurityAqua Security · undated page, accessed October 23, 2026 · Tier A
  6. [6]Secure AI: AI Application Security | AquasecAqua Security · undated page, accessed November 5, 2026 · Tier A
  7. [7]Aqua Security Announces Leadership Transition as Company Enters Its Next Phase of GrowthAqua Security · published November 6, 2025 · Tier A
  8. [8]Aqua Security Doubles Down on Runtime to Deliver Measurable Cloud Risk ReductionAqua Security · published February 12, 2026 · Tier A

Orca Security full record

  1. [1]orca.securityOrca Security · orca.security · undated page, accessed September 27, 2026 · Tier A
  2. [2]PlatformOrca Security · orca.security · undated page, accessed September 27, 2026 · Tier A
  3. [3]Orca Security Report 99.9 of Fixable AI Vulnerabilities Remain Unpatched as AI Moves Into ProductionOrca Security via Business Wire · businesswire.com · published July 9, 2026 · Tier A
  4. [4]Orca Security | AI-Powered Cloud Security Platform & CNAPPOrca Security · undated page, accessed October 27, 2026 · Tier A
  5. [5]Orca Security Accelerates AI-Driven Cloud Security Growth with TD SYNNEX PartnershipBusiness Wire · published April 13, 2026 · Tier A
  6. [6]Orca Security Named to Rising in Cyber 2026 for Third Consecutive YearBusiness Wire · published May 12, 2026 · Tier A
  7. [7]Orca Security Reviews 2026: Details, Pricing, & Features - G2G2 · undated page, accessed October 27, 2026 · Tier C
  8. [8]Trusted Cloud Security Platform | Orca SecurityOrca Security · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  9. [9]Government Cloud Security | Orca SecurityOrca Security · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  10. [10]AI AppGen Security: Uncover Shadow App Builders | Orca SecurityOrca Security · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  11. [11]Orca AI Overview: AI Agents, MCP Server & Assistant | Orca SecurityOrca Security · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  12. [12]Code Securely with Orca SecurityOrca Security · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  13. [13]Runtime Visibility and Protection for Cloud and AI | Orca SecurityOrca Security · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  14. [14]API Security Company and Services | Orca SecurityOrca Security · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  15. [15]About Us - Cloud Security Innovation | Orca SecurityOrca Security · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  16. [16]Sales Engineer | Orca SecurityOrca Security · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  17. [17]Orca Launches AI-Powered Partner Success PlatformOrca Security · published September 16, 2026 · Tier A

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