Acalvio launches ShadowPlex AI Agent in Gemini marketplace

Acalvio has launched its ShadowPlex AI Agent in the Gemini Enterprise Agent Marketplace, linking its deception security software with Google Cloud Gemini Enterprise.

The launch gives security teams a new way to create deception playbooks by describing a security objective in natural language. The agent then generates a strategy, deployment plan and playbook for use through Acalvio's ShadowPlex platform.

Deception tools are used to mislead attackers, detect reconnaissance and expose unauthorised movement through systems. Acalvio is introducing the agent as companies face a rise in AI-assisted attacks, including faster reconnaissance, credential abuse and lateral movement across networks.

The agent is intended to reduce the specialist knowledge usually needed to build and deploy deception programmes. Tasks that often required experienced deception engineers can now be completed in minutes through an AI-driven workflow.

How it works

Security teams can enter objectives such as detecting lateral movement, identifying credential abuse, protecting privileged identities or securing enterprise AI agents and AI-enabled infrastructure. The agent then reasons through the requirement and returns a structured deception playbook ready for deployment.

The system is designed for both conventional enterprise environments and newer AI-focused deployments. Playbooks can be created for on-premises infrastructure, cloud environments, identity systems, IT and OT networks, and enterprise AI infrastructure.

That broad scope reflects two security pressures facing many large organisations. One is attackers' use of AI to automate and accelerate intrusion activity. The other is the rapid adoption of AI agents and AI-enabled workflows inside companies, creating a new set of systems and identities that also need protection.

AI Focus

The ShadowPlex AI Agent is designed to address both sides of that trend. In one use case, security teams can generate playbooks to disrupt AI-driven reconnaissance, credential abuse and lateral movement. In another, they can use the same approach to protect internal AI agents, workflows and infrastructure from misuse, compromise and unauthorised access.

For cybersecurity vendors, the ability to tie products to large AI ecosystems has become increasingly important as customers look for tools that fit into existing cloud and AI software estates. Placement in the Gemini Enterprise Agent Marketplace gives Acalvio visibility within Google Cloud's enterprise AI environment and could help it reach customers seeking pre-integrated security tools.

Ram Varadarajan, Chief Executive Officer of Acalvio Technologies, said the product is aimed at narrowing the gap between security intent and technical implementation.

"Security teams know what they want to detect, but translating that intent into effective deception deployments has traditionally required specialized expertise," said Ram Varadarajan, Chief Executive Officer of Acalvio Technologies.

"The ShadowPlex AI Agent closes that gap by turning security objectives into actionable deception playbooks, allowing organizations to deploy deception with greater speed, consistency, and scale. Whether the goal is defending against AI-powered adversaries or protecting enterprise AI infrastructure, the agent helps security teams move from intent to action in minutes."

The company's broader pitch centres on shifting defensive work closer to the early stages of an intrusion. Rather than relying only on post-compromise analysis, deception methods aim to detect malicious behaviour before an attacker reaches critical assets. Acalvio's platform uses decoys, false pathways and cloaking methods intended to change what an attacker can see and trust inside an environment.

As businesses add more AI systems to internal operations, that approach is extending beyond traditional servers, endpoints and cloud workloads. Security teams are now being asked to account for AI agents, AI-enabled applications and supporting infrastructure alongside existing identity and network controls.

The ShadowPlex AI Agent is available through the Gemini Enterprise Agent Marketplace.