Passwords Are Still Breaking Compliance Programs
Help Net Security, Tuesday, January 6th, 2026
The security stack has grown, but audits still stumble on passwords.
CISOs see this every year. An organization may have strong endpoint tools, layered network defenses, and a documented access policy. Then the audit turns to shared credentials, spreadsheet-based password storage, or accounts that no one can clearly explain. At that point, the discussion stops being about maturity and starts being about gaps.
Passwords remain one of the most common access mechanisms across enterprise systems. They exist in cloud services, legacy applications, operational technology, and third-party platforms. Because of that reach, they sit directly in the path of compliance. Treating password management as a user convenience instead of a governance control leaves organizations exposed during audits and investigations.