Snyk Introduces Evo ADS to Enhance Security for AI Coding Agents
Snyk Ltd. has unveiled Evo Agentic Development Security (Evo ADS), a new component of its artificial intelligence security platform aimed at overseeing the autonomous coding agents increasingly used in enterprise software development. This innovative product is designed to manage three critical aspects: the tools an agent utilizes, the actions it performs during execution, and the code it generates. Unlike traditional security measures that scan code after it has been produced, Evo ADS integrates controls directly into the agent's workflow, allowing for real-time governance.
The launch of Evo ADS responds to a significant gap in existing security tools, which were not built to handle the complexities introduced by AI coding assistants. These assistants have evolved into autonomous agents capable of calling external tools, executing actions, and interfacing with internal systems via Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers, plugins, and third-party integrations. Snyk's telemetry data, collected from nearly 9,700 developer environments, reveals that 43% of developers operate two or more AI coding environments simultaneously, with over half utilizing MCP servers. Some environments are particularly complex, with one reporting more than 80 MCP servers in use.
Snyk's findings also highlight security risks, noting that one in 12 developers with MCP servers encountered high or critical vulnerabilities. In a study of early enterprise design partners, nearly 25% of developers had at least one agent skill installed, averaging 18 skills each, with over 10% of these skills referencing external dependencies or instructions.
Evo ADS employs a three-stage control system: it first vets the MCP servers, skills, and external tools before an agent interacts with them; it then monitors and enforces policies during the agent's operation; and finally, it scans and rectifies vulnerabilities in the AI-generated code as it is created. Manoj Nair, Snyk's chief technology and innovation officer, emphasized the importance of inventorying AI agents and their associated tools, stating that many organizations lack such oversight, a gap that Evo ADS aims to fill.
Among the early adopters of Evo ADS is Relay Network LLC, whose engineering teams utilize various coding assistants, including GitHub Copilot and Claude Code. The launch of Evo ADS complements Snyk's broader AI Security Platform, which includes Evo AI-SPM for visibility into AI assets and Evo Continuous Offensive Security for simulated attacks. The product is set to be generally available on June 29, coinciding with the AI Engineer World’s Fair, where Snyk is the exclusive sponsor of the event's inaugural security track.
