HEAD-TO-HEAD · FACTS ONLY
Workforce Protector vs Onyx: AI endpoint control facts side by side
Short answer
By The Device Desk · Endpoint AI Finder · Published 2026-10-11
Desk research from public vendor pages read on 27 September and 11 October 2026. Profiles follow our published method; we did not run the products.
Vendor pages read September and October 2026 · updated 2026-10-13
Where do their controls sit?
- Filled or hatched marker: Workforce Protector
- Dashed teal ring: Onyx, described
- DEV Filled marker: described on the product pages we read
- DEV Hatched marker: partly described (another component, a narrower scope, or method not detailed)
- DEV Dashed marker: not in our sources (it may exist; we did not find it)
What are the facts, side by side?
| Fact | Workforce Protector | Onyx |
|---|---|---|
| Owner | Akamai (formerly LayerX; acquisition date not stated on the page) | None |
| Positioning | Akamai Workforce Protector, formerly LayerX, is a browser extension for Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari that controls prompts, responses, agent actions and data exchanges across AI, SaaS, web and desktop applications, including agentic browsers and AI assistants, without proxies or a browser replacement. | "The Secure AI Control Plane for the Agentic Era": inline inspection of prompts, tool calls and model responses across browser AI, coding assistants, desktop AI agents, cloud workloads and MCP servers. Based in Tel Aviv and New York. |
| How it reaches devices | A browser extension for Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari; Akamai says it needs no proxies and no browser replacement. Source: Akamai Workforce Protector (formerly LayerX) · Read 11 Oct 2026 | Endpoint agents, browser extensions, APIs and gateways. Source: Onyx Security: AI security platform · Read 27 Sep 2026 |
| On-device controlDiffers | Partly describedThe page says its controls reach desktop applications; how that works on the device is not described on the page we read. Source: Akamai Workforce Protector (formerly LayerX) · Read 11 Oct 2026 | DescribedEndpoint agents cover coding assistants and desktop AI agents. Source: Onyx Security: AI security platform · Read 27 Sep 2026 |
| Browser extension | DescribedA browser extension for Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari that controls prompts, responses, agent actions and data exchanges. Source: Akamai Workforce Protector (formerly LayerX) · Read 11 Oct 2026 | DescribedBrowser extensions cover browser AI. Source: Onyx Security: AI security platform · Read 27 Sep 2026 |
| Network or SSE proxy | Not in our sourcesNot described on the pages we read. | Not in our sourcesNot described on the pages we read. |
| AI or MCP gatewayDiffers | Not in our sourcesNot described on the pages we read. | DescribedGateways and APIs inspect traffic inline. Source: Onyx Security: AI security platform · Read 27 Sep 2026 |
| Names the coding agents it coversDiffers | Not in our sources | PartlyCovers coding assistants; specific tools are not named on the pages we read. Source: Onyx Security: AI security platform · Read 27 Sep 2026 |
| Decides on a tool call before it runsDiffers | PartlyControls agent actions, including in agentic browsers; decisions on coding agent tool calls are not described. Source: Akamai Workforce Protector (formerly LayerX) · Read 11 Oct 2026 | MatchesInspects every prompt, tool call and model response inline. Source: Onyx Security: AI security platform · Read 27 Sep 2026 |
| Controls what goes into browser AI | MatchesControls prompts and data exchanges, with warn, redact, block and guide. Source: Akamai Workforce Protector (formerly LayerX) · Read 11 Oct 2026 | MatchesCan mask data in browser AI as well as block it. Source: Onyx Security: AI security platform · Read 27 Sep 2026 |
| Rolls out through EDR or device management you run | Not in our sources | Not in our sources |
| Can warn or ask instead of only blocking | MatchesWarn and guide are actions alongside redact and block. Source: Akamai Workforce Protector (formerly LayerX) · Read 11 Oct 2026 | MatchesFive actions: alert, block, mask, steer or ask. Source: Onyx Security: AI security platform · Read 27 Sep 2026 |
| Can block an agent, tool or action | MatchesBlock is one of its actions. Source: Akamai Workforce Protector (formerly LayerX) · Read 11 Oct 2026 | MatchesBlock is one of five actions. Source: Onyx Security: AI security platform · Read 27 Sep 2026 |
| Has a watch-only or simulation modeDiffers | Not in our sources | PartlyAlert is one of five actions; a simulation mode is not described. Source: Onyx Security: AI security platform · Read 27 Sep 2026 |
| Records who or what took each actionDiffers | Not in our sources | PartlyIntegrates with Okta, Entra and Splunk; separating a person from an agent is not described. Source: Onyx Security: AI security platform · Read 27 Sep 2026 |
| Also covers SaaS, cloud or homegrown AIDiffers | PartlyCovers AI inside SaaS and web applications through the browser. Source: Akamai Workforce Protector (formerly LayerX) · Read 11 Oct 2026 | MatchesCloud workloads and MCP servers as well as devices. Source: Onyx Security: AI security platform · Read 27 Sep 2026 |
| Has a public price or tiers (vendor site or marketplace) | Not in our sources | Not in our sources |
| Built into | None | None |
| Works with | None in our sources | Lists CrowdStrike among its integrations. Source: Onyx Security: AI security platform · Read 27 Sep 2026 |
| Price | Not published (demo request only). Source: Akamai Workforce Protector (formerly LayerX) · Read 11 Oct 2026 | Not published. Source: Onyx Security homepage · Read 27 Sep 2026 |
Where do they differ?
- On-device control: Workforce Protector partly describes it; Onyx describes it.
- AI or MCP gateway: Workforce Protector is not in our sources; Onyx describes it.
- Names the coding agents it covers: Workforce Protector is not in our sources; Onyx partly matches.
- Decides on a tool call before it runs: Workforce Protector partly matches; Onyx matches.
- Has a watch-only or simulation mode: Workforce Protector is not in our sources; Onyx partly matches.
- Records who or what took each action: Workforce Protector is not in our sources; Onyx partly matches.
- Also covers SaaS, cloud or homegrown AI: Workforce Protector partly matches; Onyx matches.
Choose Workforce Protector if
- Most AI use happens in browsers and you want to warn, redact or guide rather than block
- People use agentic browsers or AI assistants inside SaaS apps
Choose Onyx if
- You want masking or steering rather than only allow or block
- AI use spans the browser, desktop apps, coding tools and cloud workloads
Which limits should you check?
Workforce Protector
- Coding agents in a terminal and MCP servers on the device are not described on the page we read.
- The acquisition date is not stated on the page, and no pricing is published.
Onyx
- Uses its own endpoint agents and browser extensions, so there is something new to roll out to devices.
- No pricing published, and specific coding agents are not named on the pages we read.