CyberArk Acquires Zilla for $165M to Expand Identity Governance Capabilities

CyberArk has acquired Boston-based startup Zilla in a $165 million deal, strengthening its identity governance and administration (IGA) capabilities within its privileged access management (PAM) platform. The acquisition, announced Thursday, has already been finalized.

Zilla, a small but growing IGA provider, was founded by Deepak Taneja, who previously led Aveksa. Last year, Zilla reported $5 million in annual recurring revenue, employed 40 people, and served 125 customers.

Why CyberArk Acquired Zilla

CyberArk CEO Matt Cohen emphasized that Zilla’s modern SaaS-based IGA platform is a stark contrast to traditional solutions, which are often slow, complex, and reliant on manual processes.

???? Key benefits of Zilla’s platform:
✔ AI-driven role management to streamline identity, compliance, and provisioning
✔ Five times faster deployment compared to legacy IGA systems
✔ 60% reduction in service tickets due to improved automation

By integrating Zilla into CyberArk’s PAM platform, the company aims to create a comprehensive identity security solution—one that manages entitlements, provisioning, and compliance while also providing access controls and security oversight.

Cohen highlighted that this unified approach enhances security across modern digital environments.

IGA Becomes a Critical Cybersecurity Priority

CyberArk’s move comes at a time when the identity security market is rapidly evolving. On the same day as the acquisition, SailPoint, the largest IGA provider, returned to the public market after Thoma Bravo’s 2023 acquisition.

???? Key SailPoint financials:
✔ Estimated $875M in recurring revenue (fiscal year ending Jan. 31)
✔ 41% revenue growth year-over-year
✔ $1.38B raised through its IPO

SailPoint has also expanded into CyberArk’s PAM space, acquiring Osirium in 2023 and Imprivata’s IGA unit for $10.7M, plus up to $7.4M in earnouts.

Meanwhile, IGA startups like ConductorOne—which competes with SailPoint and Zilla—highlight the growing demand for identity-centric security solutions. ConductorOne CEO Alex Bovee noted that identity governance is now a critical pillar of cybersecurity.

The Future of Converged Identity Security

With CyberArk expanding into IGA and SailPoint stepping into PAM, the cybersecurity landscape is shifting toward converged identity platforms.

???? Key Takeaways:
???? Identity governance is now essential in modern security frameworks
???? CyberArk and SailPoint are competing by expanding into each other’s domains
???? AI-driven, SaaS-based identity solutions are gaining traction over legacy systems

As identity threats continue to evolve, the industry is moving toward integrated platforms that provide end-to-end identity security—a vision that CyberArk’s acquisition of Zilla is set to advance.