CISO Tribune

Vendor comparison · 2 companies

Aqua Security vs Pluto 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. Pluto Security sells security for what people build with AI. CISO Tribune files both under Software supply chain security. 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.

Change the companies

Up to four companies side by side.

  • Aqua Security
  • Pluto Security
Aqua Security vs Pluto 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.comPluto SecurityPluto Security sells security for what people build with AI.pluto.security
What it sells
  • Aqua Security PlatformCloud native application protection platform for development through production.
  • Explorer[1]Discovers and maps the AI tools, agents and extensions in use across an organization's endpoints, cloud and SaaS.
  • Risk radar[1]Evaluates discovered AI tools and agents against a risk database to triage them.
  • Space Shield[1]Applies and enforces policies that control what AI tools and agents are permitted to do based on context.
  • Marketspace[1]Offers a curated catalog of vetted AI add-ons that employees can adopt.
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]Privately held
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]
  • October 13, 2026Pluto Security announced its emergence from stealth with $42 million in total funding and said it has over 40 enterprise customers.[7]
  • June 17, 2026Pluto Security launched Plutonium, a free, vendor-neutral security hub covering the AI assistant ecosystem.[6]
G2 and Gartner Peer Insights
  • G2: Not stated on its pages
  • Gartner Peer Insights: Not stated on its pages
  • G2: Not stated on its pages
  • 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.From its own pages, Pluto Security sells mainly to security teams and CISOs who want to let employees use AI tools without blocking them. It names a Fortune 500 health insurance company among the kinds of customers quoted. Its about page describes protecting AI builders, developer tools, and business workspaces.
Last verified
September 27, 2026October 16, 2026

Where they overlap

  • Aqua Security and Pluto Security are both filed under Software supply chain security.
  • Both are privately held.

Where they differ, field by field

  • Aqua Security's primary category is Cloud-native application protection (CNAPP); Pluto Security's is Workforce AI usage security.
  • Aqua Security is also filed under Cloud workload protection. Pluto Security is also filed under AI model and agent security.
  • Aqua Security lists Aqua Security Platform. Pluto Security lists Explorer, Risk radar, Space Shield and Marketspace.
  • Aqua Security is headquartered in Boston, United States.
  • Aqua Security was founded in 2015.

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.

Questions about Aqua Security and Pluto Security

What do Aqua Security and Pluto Security sell?
Aqua Security sells Aqua Security Platform. Pluto Security sells Explorer, Risk radar, Space Shield and Marketspace.
Are Aqua Security and Pluto Security in the same category?
They share Software supply chain security. Aqua Security's primary category is Cloud-native application protection (CNAPP) and Pluto Security's is Workforce AI usage security.
Where are Aqua Security and Pluto Security headquartered?
Aqua Security is headquartered in Boston, United States.
When were Aqua Security and Pluto Security founded?
Aqua Security was founded in 2015.
Who owns Aqua Security and Pluto Security?
Aqua Security is privately held. Pluto Security is privately held.
Who are Aqua Security and Pluto 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. From its own pages, Pluto Security sells mainly to security teams and CISOs who want to let employees use AI tools without blocking them.
What have Aqua Security and Pluto Security announced recently?
February 12, 2026: Aqua Security announced the next phase of its company transformation, centered on helping enterprises reduce cloud risk faster. October 13, 2026: Pluto Security announced its emergence from stealth with $42 million in total funding and said it has over 40 enterprise customers.

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

Pluto Security full record

  1. [1]pluto.securityPluto Security · pluto.security · undated page, accessed October 16, 2026 · Tier A
  2. [2]About Us - Pluto SecurityPluto Security · undated page, accessed November 3, 2026 · Tier A
  3. [3]Enabling CISOs to say YES - Pluto SecurityPluto Security · undated page, accessed November 3, 2026 · Tier A
  4. [4]What Is AI Security Posture Management & What Does It Do? - Pluto SecurityPluto Security · undated page, accessed November 3, 2026 · Tier A
  5. [5]Webinar - Still saying no to AI tools because of security risks? - Pluto SecurityPluto Security · undated page, accessed November 3, 2026 · Tier A
  6. [6]Introducing PlutoniumPluto Security · published June 17, 2026 · Tier A
  7. [7]Pluto Security Emerges From Stealth With $42M in Funding to Help Enterprises Secure AI AdoptionFinanceWire (Markets Insider) · published October 13, 2026 · Tier B

Spot a factual error? Request a correction.