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Credential hygiene in 2026 is more than just passwords. It is about every identity in your system. Humans, machines, and even AIエージェント. Every one of them can be a target. And attackers know it. Despite huge security budgets, breaches keep happening. Identity attacks are still the primary way systems get compromised.
Most companies focus on the flashy new tools. They invest in the latest firewalls, next gen endpoint protection, and AI security dashboards. But the basics get ignored. The small fixes that have huge impact are skipped.
Credential hygiene today is really about reducing Identity Debt. That means cleaning up dormant accounts. Removing unnecessary permissions. Managing every machine identity properly. Every old or forgotten account is a door left open. Every untracked permission is a risk waiting to be exploited.
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The problem is not technology. It is attention. Enterprises chase new solutions while leaving old risks to fester. The reality is simple. Identity debt grows quietly. Attackers exploit it quickly. The companies that take control of their identity hygiene for humans, machines, and AI agents start closing the doors before the next attack hits.
The Ignored Foundation of Technical Debt and Privilege Sprawl
Active Directory and Entra ID have been around forever. Many companies still use them. They seem fine on the surface. But inside, legacy configurations, broken delegation, and orphaned accounts pile up quietly. No one notices. Every old user or forgotten machine account is a door for attackers. Microsoft says 97 percent of identity attacks still hit passwords. The first half of 2025 saw a 32 percent jump in identity-based attacks. That is huge. And yet, most companies do not continuously check their identity systems. Continuous Identity Posture Management is here, yet it is hardly adopted at all. To overlook it, is to keep your front door unlocked and to expect that no one will enter.
Privilege sprawl is another problem. Users, service accounts, and non-human identities often keep access long after they need it. Every extra permission is a risk. Just-in-Time access can fix this, but few adopt it. Many admins stick to permanent accounts. It feels easier. It feels familiar. But it is dangerous. The more standing privileges you have, the more attackers can exploit them.
Zero-standing privilege is the solution. No one should hold more power than necessary. Temporary, verified access reduces risk instantly. Combine this with continuous monitoring, and identity becomes a layer of defense instead of a weakness. It is not simple. It takes effort. But the benefits are clear. You get fewer attack points. Faster detection. And a system ready for the AI identities of 2026. Companies ignoring these basic steps are taking a gamble. Not just with データ. With the trust that holds their digital world together.
The Human Element in Overcoming Basic Failures
Multi-factor authentication is everywhere now. Most companies have it. But that does not mean it works well. Users get bombed with MFA prompts until they just accept. It is called MFA fatigue. Many still rely on SMS codes. Those are easy to hack. So even with MFA, accounts can still be stolen. Microsoft shows that daily passkey registrations across Entra ID are nearly one million per day. That is a huge shift. Users are moving toward password less methods. Passkeys are phishing-resistant. They work better than SMS or push notifications. Google’s 2025 survey shows the same trend. People are choosing Sign-in with Google or passkeys over old passwords. It is slow, but the change is happening. Enterprises ignoring this are leaving a huge gap.
The risk does not stop with employees. Vendors and third parties can be the weak link. Shared credentials are still common. Some vendors are barely monitored. One slip, one compromised account, and attackers are inside. Ignored practice number four is simple. Extend identity controls to all third-party access. Require JIT. Record sessions. Verify identities before they access anything. The WEF Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2025 warns that supply-chain and vendor risks are rising. Cyber-crime is getting more sophisticated. AI is helping attackers move faster. Ignoring vendors is inviting trouble.
Human error is still a big factor. People click phishing emails. They reuse passwords. Old accounts sit idle. Ghost users accumulate. Stale objects linger. Each is an open door. Immediate off-boarding is critical. Track every account. Remove what is not needed. The combination of human error, weak MFA, and vendor gaps makes breaches almost inevitable. The companies that fix these basics gain immediate protection. Those that do not are simply waiting for the next attack to hit.
The 2026 Threat Landscape of AI-Driven Identity Risk
AI is no longer just a tool. In 2026, autonomous AI agents and automation pipelines are everywhere. In many systems, they outnumber humans. They also have high-level access. These non-human identities are now the real privileged users. Attackers know this. They are shifting focus. Instead of going after human credentials, they target AI agents. One compromised AI agent can move through the system with the same privileges humans have, but faster and with less chance of being noticed. It is like an insider that never sleeps.
AI is also changing how attacks happen. Deepfake technology, voice imitation, and other AI sorcery are coming up with more and more convincing phishing attacks. Spear-phishing has been automated already on a large scale. The attackers wind up using AI to get around biometric authentication or even human-verification procedures in real-time. Traditional MFA and static controls are not enough anymore. Ignored practice number five is moving toward behavioral and contextual access. Systems need to look at behavior, device health, location, and patterns. Risk-based access has to be real-time, not set once and forgotten.
Even with these controls, detection is a problem. Firewalls and old perimeter tools cannot see lateral movement when attackers use valid credentials. Identity Threat Detection and Response tools exist for a reason. They can flag impossible logins, privilege escalations, and sideways movement inside the network. Nevertheless, a lot of firms do not apply them still. In the WEF Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2025, it is stated that attackers are becoming faster and cleverer, mainly because of their AI use. Identity-centric surveillance may allow hackers to exploit the system without detection for several weeks or even months.
The landscape is evolving quickly. AI is no longer just another endpoint. It is a critical identity. Ignoring it leaves huge gaps. Organizations must rethink identity security, not just for humans, but for machines and AI agents too. Continuous monitoring, behavioral access controls, and modern ITDR tools are no longer optional. They are the baseline. Anything less is an open invitation to attackers who know exactly where to hit next.
Actionable Roadmap from Hygiene to Resilience
The basics are simple but often ignored. Start by eliminating standing privilege. No account should hold more power than needed all the time. Use Just-in-Time access and zero-standing privilege across admins, cloud accounts, and AI agents. Make every access temporary, verified, and tracked. It reduces attack surfaces immediately. It also makes it easier to know who did what and when.
Next, stop relying on weak MFA. SMS codes and push notifications are not enough. Move to phishing-resistant methods like FIDO or passkeys for every employee and customer-facing login. Microsoft shows almost a million passkeys are registered daily. That proves users and organizations are ready to adopt better, stronger authentication. Don’t delay. Every old password or weak MFA method is another open door.
Finally, monitor the identity layer constantly. Identity Threat Detection and Response tools and continuous posture management are essential. They catch impossible logins, privilege escalation, and sideways movement before attackers can do real damage. Without this layer, you are flying blind.
These steps are ignored for a few reasons. Complexity scares teams. Technical debt slows change. Budgets are tight. But waiting is worse. Attacks are faster, smarter, and often unavoidable. Prevention alone is no longer enough. Resilience is the real strategy. Detect quickly. Respond immediately. Limit the damage. Companies that follow these pillars turn identity from a liability into a strong line of defense. The cost of ignoring them is too high.
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