Netskope unveils AI Copilot & MCP server to advance zero trust

Netskope has announced new artificial intelligence capabilities for its security platform, including an AI-powered assistant aimed at optimising zero trust network access.

The company is introducing several advancements to its Netskope One platform, notably the Netskope One Copilot for Private Access that leverages AI to improve the deployment of universal zero trust network access (UZTNA), and a preview of the Netskope Model Context Protocol (MCP) server, which is designed to connect large language models (LLMs) to Netskope's policy controls.

AI and security

Netskope Threat Labs reports that shadow AI – the unsanctioned use of AI applications by employees – now constitutes the majority of AI usage within enterprises. This growth is attributed to the proliferation of SaaS AI applications, on-premises AI deployments, and custom AI tools. These developments have led to increased demand for adaptive security solutions that allow businesses to use AI tools securely and effectively.

The new AI features are said to enable safe user access to AI-driven applications and mitigate risks associated with the adoption and creation of AI software.

According to the company, the platform provides insights into sensitive data being processed by LLMs and uses AI models to assess risks, aiding in the implementation of context-based decisions around application choices and policy configurations. The Netskope One platform utilises zero trust principles, powered by a suite known as SkopeAI, which is a set of proprietary AI technologies, to support secure connectivity for remote workers, data security, and threat mitigation.

Enhancing zero trust network access

The primary addition, Netskope One Copilot for Private Access, is designed to tackle challenges associated with traditional ZTNA, such as complicated policy design, excessive and broad access rules, and risk of policy sprawl. By employing AI, it automates the recommendation of granular policies for both newly discovered and existing applications. This extends Netskope's UZTNA solution and is intended to go beyond mere access brokering, offering continuous enforcement of policies, protection against threats, integrated data safeguards, monitoring of system performance, and a wider range of access controls.

Industry analysts have repeatedly highlighted Netskope for its capabilities in ZTNA. The company has been named a Leader in Gartner's Magic Quadrant for Security Service Edge (SSE) for four consecutive years, and topped the Critical Capabilities for SSE report in the Private Application Access Use Case which specifically addresses ZTNA functions.

Netskope One Copilot for Private Access is available to current customers and supplements other AI Copilots offered by the company, such as the Copilot for Cloud Confidence Index, with additional AI Copilots in development.

MCP server preview

Netskope is also releasing a preview of its Model Context Protocol server.

The server connects LLMs - such as Claude Desktop, Microsoft Copilot, Google Vertex, and Amazon Bedrock - directly to Netskope One platform capabilities. This connection is intended to help enterprises use LLMs securely by arming them with the necessary policy context and access controls.

The MCP server is built on an open protocol and functions as a bridge between LLMs and Netskope Management APIs, allowing LLMs to gain situational awareness from a customer's environment for better analysis and automation. Use cases provided by Netskope include:

• Client version analysis for device management teams to identify and address non-compliant clients
• Incident analysis tools to support security teams during Data Loss Prevention incidents, providing summary reports and investigation recommendations
• Incident status analysis to help incident managers identify delays or bottlenecks in resolution workflows
• Insider risk analysis for security administrators to prioritise users deemed at higher risk for expedited intervention

"Netskope's differentiated AI security capabilities not only enable safe user access to AI applications, but also manage the emerging risks introduced by the adoption and building of AI applications, provide a deep understanding of sensitive data being fed into LLMs, and assess risk using AI models to make context-based decisions on application selection and policy setting. The Netskope One platform and its purpose-built architecture apply zero trust principles and leverage SkopeAI, Netskope's suite of proprietary AI innovations and patented technology, to optimise access, protect data, stop threats, and enable secure, work-from-anywhere connectivity."

The preview of the MCP server comes with several sample prompts tailored to address real-time AI security scenarios, expanding the platform's support for enterprise AI integration and safeguarding.

Netskope states that these additions are intended to provide viable alternatives to existing VPN and NAC solutions, and to address both current and evolving security challenges in an environment with increasing AI adoption in the workplace.