Unit 42: Identity Abuse Drives Nearly Two-Thirds Of All Breaches
SC Media, Tuesday, February 17th, 2026
Identity abuse now drives nearly two-thirds of all breaches, according to a Feb. 17 report by the Unit 42 research group at Palo Alto Networks.
Unit 42's report found that 65% of initial access was driven by identity-based techniques, such as social engineering and credential misuse, while vulnerabilities account for initial access in 22% of these attacks.
Here's a quick list of some of the report's other highlights: