The Identity Security Crisis: What the Data Tells Us

Identity-based attacks are no longer isolated incidents — they’re a daily reality for half of all organizations, new data shows.

According to a recent study conducted by Ponemon Institute, commissioned by GuidePoint Security, 50% of organizations experienced an identity-based security incident in the past year. The leading causes? Leaked, compromised, or stolen credentials (34%), identity theft (25%), and phishing (23%).

And the fallout isn’t just technical — it’s operational and reputational. Nearly four in 10 organizations reported workforce disruptions because employees couldn’t access systems. One in four experienced reputational damage.

Despite the high stakes, only 39% of organizations use identity verification solutions. Even fewer (47%) have automated checks for compromised passwords. This signals a dangerous gap between threat awareness and threat preparedness.

So what’s holding organizations back?

• Lack of technology (54%)
• Lack of in-house expertise (52%)
• Lack of resources (45%)

Even with identity attacks on the rise, security still isn’t the top priority when it comes to Identity and Access Management (IAM) investments. Nearly half of organizations (45%) say their IAM strategy is driven primarily by the goal of improving user experience.

Organizations are making tradeoffs — and attackers are exploiting the gaps.

Want to see the full picture — and learn what to do about it?

Download the full report to uncover how leading organizations are closing the identity security gap.