CISO Tribune

Vendor comparison · 2 companies

Malwarebytes vs Permiso

Malwarebytes sells antivirus, VPN, identity theft protection and scam detection software for personal devices such as computers, tablets and phones. Permiso's Universal Identity Graph connects every identity to the credentials it owns, the machines it creates, the agents it runs and every action it takes in real time. CISO Tribune files both under Identity threat detection and response. 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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  • Malwarebytes
  • Permiso
Malwarebytes vs Permiso: Products, Customers and Funding Compared
MalwarebytesMalwarebytes sells antivirus, VPN, identity theft protection and scam detection software for personal devices such as computers, tablets and phones.malwarebytes.comPermisoPermiso's Universal Identity Graph connects every identity to the credentials it owns, the machines it creates, the agents it runs and every action it takes in real time.permiso.io
What it sells
  • Premium Security[4][5]Antivirus designed to protect personal devices and data in real-time.
  • Browser Guard[4][5]Blocks unwanted and unsafe content while browsing.
  • Privacy VPN[4][14]A VPN for staying secure and private on Wi-Fi or hotspots.
  • Identity Theft Protection[4][5]Scans the dark web and other sources for personal information.
  • Mobile Security[4][5][7]Malware detection before installation on Android devices.
  • Android Virus Scan[7]A free Android virus scan for malware, spyware, keyloggers and more.
  • Permiso Discover[3]Provides an inventory of human, non-human and AI identities wherever they live.
  • Permiso Protect[3]Evaluates the risk posture of identities based on usage patterns, exposure and entitlements.
  • Universal Identity Graph[3][11]Connects every identity to the credentials it owns, the machines it creates and the agents it runs.
  • Identity Threat Detection and Response[7]Detects threats to human and non-human identities across environments.
  • Identity Runtime Attribution[3]Ties agent runs, events and tool calls to the identity behind them.
  • SandyClaw[11]Runs agent skills in a controlled sandbox.
Categories
Headquarters
Santa Clara, United States[3]Not stated on its pages
Founded
2008[2][4]Not stated on its pages
Ownership and funding
Not stated on its pagesOwned by Okta since 2026[2][5]
Named customers
Not stated on its pagesNot stated on its pages
Recent news
  • October 5, 2026Malwarebytes launched Scam Link Check, a free web tool that lets anyone check whether a website link is safe before clicking it.[19]
  • July 22, 2026Malwarebytes appointed Michael Weissman to its Board of Directors and hired Joey Klein as Senior Vice President of Product.[20]
  • July 22, 2026Malwarebytes appointed Netspend CEO Michael Weissman to its board.[10]
  • June 3, 2026Malwarebytes launched a free reverse phone check for consumers to identify potential scam numbers.[9]
  • May 6, 2026Malwarebytes appointed Chung Ip as Chief Financial Officer.[18]
  • July 30, 2026Okta said it signed a definitive agreement to acquire Permiso Security, a startup whose software detects attackers abusing identities across cloud, SaaS and AI agent environments.[14]
G2 and Gartner Peer Insights
  • G2: listed, seen November 3, 2026[11]
  • 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, Malwarebytes sells mainly to individuals and families who want to protect personal devices. Its pages also reference security for personal and business devices and for a team's devices. Malwarebytes offers protection for Windows, Mac, Chromebook, Android, and iOS devices.Its platform is described for identities across cloud, SaaS and on-prem environments. Permiso presents its tools to security teams. Its watchlist capability is aimed at threats from employees, contractors and other trusted individuals.
Last verified
November 9, 2026November 2, 2026

Where they overlap

  • Malwarebytes and Permiso are both filed under Identity threat detection and response.

Where they differ, field by field

  • Malwarebytes's primary category is EDR and XDR; Permiso's is Identity threat detection and response.
  • Malwarebytes is also filed under MDR and managed SOC. Permiso is also filed under Non-human identity security and Cloud detection and response.
  • Malwarebytes lists Premium Security, Browser Guard, Privacy VPN, Identity Theft Protection, Mobile Security and 1 more. Permiso lists Permiso Discover, Permiso Protect, Universal Identity Graph, Identity Threat Detection and Response, Identity Runtime Attribution and 1 more.
  • Malwarebytes is headquartered in Santa Clara, United States.
  • Malwarebytes was founded in 2008.
  • Permiso is owned by Okta, since 2026.

What it sells: Malwarebytes

What Premium Security does[4][5]
Malwarebytes Premium Security is an antivirus solution designed to protect personal devices and data in real-time. Malwarebytes says Premium Security stops sophisticated cyber threats that traditional antivirus tools often miss.
What Privacy VPN does[4][14]
Malwarebytes Privacy VPN helps people stay secure and private when using Wi-Fi or hotspots. Malwarebytes Privacy VPN can be used on iPhones and iPads, as well as Android, Windows, and Mac. Malwarebytes Privacy is a no-log VPN that never tracks, stores, or shares any of your network data.
What Identity Theft Protection does[4][5]
Malwarebytes Identity Theft Protection scans the dark web and other sources for personal information. It provides live agent-supported identity recovery, credit monitoring, and reporting, backed by up to $2 million in identity theft insurance.
What Mobile Security does[4][5][7]
Malwarebytes Mobile Security detects before installation some of the most harmful malware, including trojans, spyware and ransomware. Malwarebytes Mobile Security is free to download on both Google Play and the App store.
What Android Virus Scan does[7]
Malwarebytes offers a free Android virus scan to protect a phone from hackers and cyber threats like malware, spyware, keyloggers and more. Malwarebytes alerts people before they install and run potentially harmful software or apps on an Android device.

What it sells: Permiso

What Permiso Discover does[3]
Permiso Discover gives enterprises an inventory of human, non-human and AI identities wherever they live. Permiso inventories identities and assesses exposure risk in identity providers, cloud service providers and SaaS applications.
What Permiso Protect does[3]
Permiso Protect continuously evaluates the risk posture of identities based on usage patterns, exposure and entitlements. Permiso Protect surfaces and quantifies high-risk identities, stale access and toxic combinations across human, vendor, AI and non-human accounts.
What Universal Identity Graph does[3][11]
The Universal Identity Graph connects every identity to the credentials it owns, the machines it creates, the agents it runs and every action it takes in real time. Permiso states that the chain stays unbroken from a human SSO login to a Lambda function to an MCP tool call. Permiso's Universal Identity Graph inventories identities in all cloud environments and assesses exposure risk.
What Identity Threat Detection and Response does[7]
Permiso provides identity threat detection and response for human and non-human identities across environments. The detection engine has 1500+ detection rules engineered by the P0 Labs team. Permiso detects access and behavioral anomalies in environments such as AWS, Azure, GCP, GitHub, Slack and Salesforce.
What Identity Runtime Attribution does[3]
Permiso launched AI agent runtime security, bringing Identity Runtime Attribution to every agent in production. Permiso ties every run, event and tool call to the identity behind it in real time. Every agent action is tied to a specific human, non-human or AI identity in real time and is preserved as a complete audit trail.
What SandyClaw does[11]
SandyClaw runs every skill in a controlled sandbox before it touches the environment. SandyClaw records every action, every tool call and every downstream request.

Questions about Malwarebytes and Permiso

What do Malwarebytes and Permiso sell?
Malwarebytes sells Premium Security, Browser Guard, Privacy VPN, Identity Theft Protection, Mobile Security and 1 more. Permiso sells Permiso Discover, Permiso Protect, Universal Identity Graph, Identity Threat Detection and Response, Identity Runtime Attribution and 1 more.
Are Malwarebytes and Permiso in the same category?
They share Identity threat detection and response. Malwarebytes's primary category is EDR and XDR and Permiso's is Identity threat detection and response.
Where are Malwarebytes and Permiso headquartered?
Malwarebytes is headquartered in Santa Clara, United States.
When were Malwarebytes and Permiso founded?
Malwarebytes was founded in 2008.
Who owns Malwarebytes and Permiso?
Permiso is owned by Okta, since 2026.
Who are Malwarebytes and Permiso sold to?
From its own pages, Malwarebytes sells mainly to individuals and families who want to protect personal devices. Its platform is described for identities across cloud, SaaS and on-prem environments.
What have Malwarebytes and Permiso announced recently?
October 5, 2026: Malwarebytes launched Scam Link Check, a free web tool that lets anyone check whether a website link is safe before clicking it. July 30, 2026: Okta said it signed a definitive agreement to acquire Permiso Security, a startup whose software detects attackers abusing identities across cloud, SaaS and AI agent environments.

About Malwarebytes

Malwarebytes sells antivirus, VPN, identity theft protection and scam detection software for personal devices such as computers, tablets and phones. Malwarebytes says its all-in-one cybersecurity protects people from malware, viruses, scams and other online threats. Malwarebytes offers protection for Windows, Mac, Chromebook, Android, and iOS devices.[7][13]

Malwarebytes Premium Security is an antivirus solution designed to protect personal devices and data in real-time. Malwarebytes says Premium Security stops sophisticated cyber threats that traditional antivirus tools often miss. Malwarebytes says Malwarebytes Premium finds threats on 40% of devices that already have another antivirus installed. The free version of Malwarebytes lets people scan and remove threats from a device, but it does not give ongoing real-time threat protection like Malwarebytes Premium does.[12]

Malwarebytes Browser Guard blocks unwanted and unsafe content. Malwarebytes Privacy VPN helps people stay secure and private when using Wi-Fi or hotspots. Malwarebytes Privacy VPN can be used on iPhones and iPads, as well as Android, Windows, and Mac. Malwarebytes Privacy is a no-log VPN that never tracks, stores, or shares any of your network data. Malwarebytes Privacy uses the WireGuard® VPN protocol. Malwarebytes Privacy has 400+ servers in 30+ countries.[14][15]

Malwarebytes Identity Theft Protection scans the dark web and other sources for personal information. Malwarebytes Identity Theft Protection provides live agent-supported identity recovery, credit monitoring, and reporting, backed by up to $2 million in identity theft insurance. Single-device Ultimate plans include Individual Identity Theft Protection for one adult. Multi-device Ultimate plans include Family Identity Theft Protection coverage for up to two adults and ten kids. All Ultimate plans include a Personal Data Remover for one individual.[5]

Scam Guard is integrated in Malwarebytes Premium Security for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, and Browser Guard. Scam Guard detects in seconds whether a suspicious text, email, website, ad, or message is concerning. Malwarebytes states that Scam Guard queries are stored locally for 30 days. Malwarebytes is a supporting member of the Global Anti-Scam Alliance (GASA).[5]

Malwarebytes Mobile Security detects before installation some of the most harmful malware, including trojans, spyware and ransomware. Malwarebytes Mobile Security is free to download on both Google Play and the App store. Malwarebytes for iOS can block calls from known and suspected scammers. Call Protection identifies calls from a list of known scammers. Text Message Filtering identifies suspicious texts and sends them to a junk tab in the Messages app. Ad Blocking stops Safari from loading ads and blocks ad trackers. Web Protection blocks websites that contain ransomware, phishing scams, and other online threats when used with Safari.[5][7][14]

Malwarebytes’ CEO Marcin Kleczynski created the first version of the Malwarebytes virus scanner after downloading a free game with malware. Marcin founded Malwarebytes in 2004 after accidentally downloading malware on his family computer. Malwarebytes is free to download on Windows, Mac, Android, and IOS devices. Malwarebytes offers a 60-day money back guarantee on all annual plans.[1][5][6][7][16]

Malwarebytes on the record

Sources

Malwarebytes full record

  1. [1]threatdown.comMalwarebytes (ThreatDown) · threatdown.com · undated page, accessed September 27, 2026 · Tier A
  2. [2]Malwarebytes announces acquisition of leading online privacy company cyrus 301908393Malwarebytes via PR Newswire · prnewswire.com · published August 24, 2023 · Tier A
  3. [3]CompanyMalwarebytes · malwarebytes.com · undated page, accessed September 27, 2026 · Tier A
  4. [4]All-in-One Protection: Antivirus, VPN & Scam Guard | Best AntivirusMalwarebytes · undated page, accessed October 26, 2026 · Tier A
  5. [5]Scam detector | Real-time free scam detection for iOS and AndroidMalwarebytes · undated page, accessed October 26, 2026 · Tier A
  6. [6]How to Speed Up Your Computer | MalwarebytesMalwarebytes · undated page, accessed October 26, 2026 · Tier A
  7. [7]Android Virus Scan | Scan your Android phone for virusesMalwarebytes · undated page, accessed October 26, 2026 · Tier A
  8. [8]Malwarebytes Appoints Chung Ip as Chief Financial OfficerMalwarebytes · published May 6, 2026 · Tier A
  9. [9]Malwarebytes Launches Free Reverse Phone Check to Help Consumers Identify Potential Scam NumbersMalwarebytes · published June 3, 2026 · Tier A
  10. [10]Malwarebytes Strengthens Consumer Growth Strategy with Appointment of Netspend CEO Michael Weissman to BoardMalwarebytes · published July 22, 2026 · Tier A
  11. [11]Malwarebytes for Teams Reviews 2026: Details, Pricing, & Features | G2G2 · undated page, accessed October 26, 2026 · Tier C
  12. [12]Antivirus with VPN | MalwarebytesMalwarebytes · undated page, accessed November 3, 2026 · Tier A
  13. [13]Malwarebytes tools & solutionsMalwarebytes · undated page, accessed November 3, 2026 · Tier A
  14. [14]Ad Blocker for iPhone | Ad Blocker for iOSMalwarebytes · undated page, accessed November 3, 2026 · Tier A
  15. [15]VPN for crypto | MalwarebytesMalwarebytes · undated page, accessed November 3, 2026 · Tier A
  16. [16]Antivirus for Gaming | Antivirus for Gaming PCMalwarebytes · undated page, accessed November 3, 2026 · Tier A
  17. [17]Malwarebytes Brings Real-time Scam Detection and Threat Intelligence to AI Conversations with Claude ConnectorMalwarebytes · published April 29, 2026 · Tier A
  18. [18]Malwarebytes Appoints Chung Ip as Chief Financial OfficerPR Newswire · published May 6, 2026 · Tier A
  19. [19]Malwarebytes Launches Free Scam Link Check So Anyone Can Verify a Link is Safe Before They ClickMalwarebytes · published October 5, 2026 · Tier A
  20. [20]Malwarebytes Strengthens Consumer Growth Strategy with Appointment of Netspend CEO Michael Weissman to BoardPR Newswire · published July 22, 2026 · Tier A

Permiso full record

  1. [1]permiso.ioPermiso · permiso.io · undated page, accessed September 27, 2026 · Tier A
  2. [2]Okta signs definitive agreement to acquire permiso securityOkta · okta.com · published August 26, 2026 · Tier A
  3. [3]Detect and protect against human and non-human identity threats in real-timePermiso · undated page, accessed October 27, 2026 · Tier A
  4. [4]Identity Security Posture Management + Identity Threat Detection & ResponsePermiso · undated page, accessed October 27, 2026 · Tier A
  5. [5]Coverage across cloud environments to better secure the attack surfacePermiso · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  6. [6]Human and Non-Human Identity Inventory, Risk Posture and GovernancePermiso · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  7. [7]Identity Threat Detection and Response (ITDR) for Human and Non-Human IdentitiesPermiso · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  8. [8]How Permiso Detects Compromised Credentials In Your EnvironmentPermiso · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  9. [9]What Are Non-Human Identities? Complete Guide to NHI Security for 2025Permiso · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  10. [10]Non-Human Identity (NHI) Threat Detection and ResponsePermiso · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  11. [11]Secure Every AI Agent, Skill, and Action | PermisoPermiso · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  12. [12]Security - At Permiso, we don't take security lightlyPermiso · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  13. [13]Learn about how we make cloud zeros into cloud heroes | PermisoPermiso · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  14. [14]Okta to acquire Permiso Security in reported $200M identity security deal - SiliconANGLESiliconANGLE · published July 30, 2026 · Tier B

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