As the threat environment rapidly changes in 2026, security leaders like CISOs are facing a tough problem: Even though identity management is improving, risk is actually getting worse.

New research by the Ponemon Institute reveals that many applications within companies aren’t connected to central identity systems. These hidden apps aren’t governed properly, creating a huge, uncontrolled area that is being actively exploited by both humans and automated AI systems.

Businesses today have invested heavily in IAM and Zero Trust models, but the final step – dealing with older apps, local accounts, and isolated SaaS solutions – remains a persistent problem.

The rise of AI in the workplace has turned this problem from a minor issue to a significant security risk. As companies use AI assistants and automated agents to boost efficiency, these agents often need access to the very systems that are outside of centralized oversight.

The result? AI agents are unknowingly increasing credential-related dangers, reusing old credentials, and finding easy ways in that your security team can’t even detect.

To assist security leaders in navigating this “Confidence Gap,” The Hacker News is hosting a special webinar featuring Mike Fitzpatrick (Ponemon Institute) and Matt Chiodi (CSO, Cerby).

They will discuss the latest findings gathered from over 600 IT and security leaders and offer a practical plan for resolving the identity issues that lead to problems with audits and slow down digital progress.

In this session, you will discover:

• Exclusive 2026 Benchmark Data: See how well your identity management compares to others in your field.
• The “Shadow AI” Factor: Learn how AI agents are expanding the area that is not connected and controlled.
• The Cost of Manual Management: Understand why manually fixing passwords and credentials is not an effective strategy in 2026.
• Practical Remediation Steps: Find out what leading companies are doing to regain control of every application.

If you are in charge of identity, security, or compliance, simply “doing more of the same” is no longer sufficient. This discussion is intended to help you move beyond theoretical improvements and achieve actual control.

Register now to gain the data-driven insights required to protect your organization’s most fragmented – and most frequently targeted – asset: Identity.

Sign Up for the Webinar: Identity Management Challenges â†’