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Install the Drata Agent

Learn how to install and verify the Drata Agent to report device security settings during employee onboarding.

⚠️ Select your experience

The steps to install the Drata Agent depend on your interface version. Select a link to skip to the instructions for your version.

Customers who joined Drata on or after Feb 24, 2026 are automatically on the New Experience.

Instructions for the New Experience ⬇️

The Drata Agent is a lightweight application. It has read-only access to specific system settings so Drata can verify required security configurations, such as disk encryption, screen lock, antivirus, and automatic updates.

The agent runs daily and helps your organization meet device-related compliance requirements.

Prerequisites

To ensure your devices remain compliant and secure, the Drata Agent supports the most recent stable versions of major operating systems.

  • macOS

    • Current Supported Versions: macOS 26 (Tahoe) and macOS 15 (Sequoia).

    • Requirement: Drata Agent version 3.9.0 or higher is required for these versions.

  • Windows

    • The Drata Agent supports the two most recent stable versions of Windows that Microsoft actively maintains.

  • Linux

    • The Drata Agent supports Linux distributions that offer Long-Term Support (LTS) versions.

    • We do not support non-LTS or short-term releases (for example, Ubuntu 25.10).

Ubuntu Linux requirements:

  • Drata supports Debian-based Ubuntu 22.04 and 24.04

  • Hard drive encryption evidence must be uploaded manually for Ubuntu devices

  • You must be able to install applications on your device

  • Ubuntu 24.04 LTS enables AppArmor by default

Install the Drata Agent

During employee onboarding on the My Drata page, one of the tasks is to Install the Drata Agent.

  1. Log in to Drata and navigate to the My Drata page.

  2. Locate Install the Drata Agent and expand the task.

    Install the Drata Agent task on the My Drata page

  3. Select the installer file that fits your needs the best.

  4. Open the downloaded file and follow the installation prompts.

  5. Return to Drata and select Register Drata Agent.

  6. Check and select your email for the Verify Drata Agent message.

Once verified, the agent runs automatically in the background.

Expected outcome: The Drata Agent is installed, registered to your account, and begins reporting device security status.

What the agent does (and does not do)

✔ Reads system configuration settings required for compliance

✔ Runs automatically once installed

✖ Does not modify system settings

✖ Does not monitor personal activity or files

Automatic updates

The Drata Agent stays up to date with the latest required version.

  • The agent updates automatically

  • Updates are required

  • You may be prompted for permission during an update

Additional Resources

Ubuntu Linux

Hard drive encryption (manual evidence)

Anti-Virus software

Instructions for the Classic Experience ⬇️

Installing the Drata Agent via Mac OS

The Drata agent is a lightweight application that lives in your computer's toolbar. This application is granted READ ONLY access to your system preferences to help ensure proper security configurations are set - such as hard drive encryption, screensaver locking, antivirus software, password manager, and automatic updates are enabled.

These security configurations are required for SOC 2 compliance. The agent runs every day.

When an employee logs into Drata to complete their employee onboarding tasks, they will see a list of tasks to complete. One of those tasks is 'Install the Drata Agent.' When you expand this section using the down arrow on the far right, you will see the option to select your operating system.

  1. Select Mac to download and install the agent

  2. Open the file you just downloaded

  3. Click Register Drata Agent on the page where you downloaded the agent (under 'Install the Drata Agent')

  4. Check your email inbox for the Verify Drata Agent email

  5. Click Verify Drata Agent button in the email and follow the prompts

Installing the Drata Agent via Ubuntu Linux

Drata now supports Ubuntu Linux. The Drata agent is a lightweight application that lives in your computer's toolbar. This application is granted READ ONLY access to your system preferences to help ensure proper security configurations are set - such as screensaver locking, password manager, antivirus software and automatic updates are enabled.

These security configurations are required for SOC 2 compliance. The agent runs every day.

Prerequisite: Drata currently supports Debian-based Ubuntu 22 and 24. For those using Ubuntu Linux, you will need to manually upload evidence of your hard drive encryption.

  1. Select for Linux to download and install the agent

  2. Open the file you just downloaded

  3. Click Register Drata Agent on the page where you downloaded the agent (under 'Install the Drata Agent')

  4. Check your email inbox for the Verify Drata Agent email

  5. Click Verify Drata Agent button in the email and follow the prompts

Installing the Drata Agent via Windows OS

The Drata agent is a lightweight application that lives in your computer's toolbar. This application is granted READ ONLY access to your system preferences to help ensure proper security configurations are set - such as screensaver locking, password manager, antivirus software and automatic updates are enabled.

These security configurations are required for SOC 2 compliance. The agent runs every day.

When an employee logs into Drata to complete their employee onboarding tasks, they will see a list of tasks to complete. One of those tasks is 'Install the Drata Agent.' When you expand this section using the down arrow on the far right, you will see the option to select your operating system.

  1. Select Windows to download and install the agent

  2. Open the file you just downloaded

  3. Click Register Drata Agent on the page where you downloaded the agent (under 'Install the Drata Agent')

  4. Check your email inbox for the Verify Drata Agent email

  5. Click Verify Drata Agent button in the email and follow the prompts

Manually update the Drata Agent — v2.0.0 and above

For Drata agent versions v2.0.0 and above, employees will experience an updated authentication experience and improved auto-update capabilities. Updating to v2.0.0 and above ensures the best possible performance from the Drata Agent.

NOTE: Drata agent auto updates are supported for Linux devices as of v3.5 and earlier. If you installed the Drata Agent on an Ubuntu system, Ubuntu operating systems will automatically update the agent to the latest version, starting with version 3.6. All the updates are required. An update notification informs you that an update is available and requests your permission to proceed with the update.

For employees running any version of the agent earlier than v2.0.0:

STEP 1: Quit the Drata Agent

  1. Click the Drata icon in the taskbar

  2. Select Quit Drata

STEP 2: Download the latest version

  1. Log into Drata

  2. Go to Install the Drata Agent on the My Drata page and select your operating system to download and install the agent

  3. Open the agent

  4. Click Register Drata Agent — IMPORTANT: Open the Agent before clicking the Register Drata Agent button

STEP 3: Register the Drata Agent

  1. Return to Install the Drata Agent on the My Drata page

  2. Click Register Drata Agent

  3. Check your inbox for the Verify Drata Agent email

  4. Click Verify Drata Agent button in the email and follow the prompts

For employees with version 2.0.0 or later installed:

STEP 1: Register the Drata Agent

  1. Log into Drata

  2. Go to Install the Drata Agent on the My Drata page

  3. Click Register Drata Agent

  4. Check your inbox for the Verify Drata Agent email

  5. Click Verify Drata Agent button in the email and follow the prompts

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