Global organizations face rising NHI and agentic AI identity sprawl
Target Trend
Summary
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Non-human identities (NHIs) and credentialed AI agents are growing across organizations, widening identity risk as governance and credential hygiene lag. The trend matters because autonomous agents can hold privileged access to critical systems and data at machine speed.
Related Happenings
Global organizations expanding AI agents into identity security operations
Target Trend
First: 14.05.2026 12:20
Last: 14.05.2026 12:20
Sources 1
About this happening:
**Global organizations** are rapidly expanding **AI agents** into **identity security tasks**, increasing the risk of privileged compromise across password resets, VPN access, and...
Global organizations expanding AI agents into identity security operations
Target TrendAbout this happening: **Global organizations** are rapidly expanding **AI agents** into **identity security tasks**, increasing the risk of privileged compromise across password resets, VPN access, and...
Global AI adoption outpaces AI policy and response controls
Target Trend
First: 05.05.2026 14:10
Last: 05.05.2026 14:10
Sources 1
About this happening:
**AI adoption** is outpacing **formal governance**, leaving organizations more exposed to **Shadow AI**, data leakage, and AI-enabled phishing. A **May 5** survey of **3,400** glo...
Global AI adoption outpaces AI policy and response controls
Target TrendAbout this happening: **AI adoption** is outpacing **formal governance**, leaving organizations more exposed to **Shadow AI**, data leakage, and AI-enabled phishing. A **May 5** survey of **3,400** glo...
SANS identity hardening guidance for agentic AI credential risk
Defensive Guidance
First: 09.04.2026 13:00
Last: 09.04.2026 13:00
Sources 1
How related:
The SANS Institute recommended adoption of secrets vaults, automated rotation and scoped least-privilege access as a bulwark against agentic AI risk, but emphasized the importance of scaling these efforts to match the continued growth of NHIs.
About this happening:
**SANS Institute** recommended **secrets vaults**, **automated rotation**, and **scoped least-privilege access** to reduce **agentic AI** credential risk across organizations. The...
SANS identity hardening guidance for agentic AI credential risk
Defensive GuidanceHow related: The SANS Institute recommended adoption of secrets vaults, automated rotation and scoped least-privilege access as a bulwark against agentic AI risk, but emphasized the importance of scaling these efforts to match the continued growth of NHIs.
About this happening: **SANS Institute** recommended **secrets vaults**, **automated rotation**, and **scoped least-privilege access** to reduce **agentic AI** credential risk across organizations. The...
AI-driven auto remediation and agentic AI adoption surge across organizations
Target Trend
First: 04.03.2026 18:56
Last: 04.03.2026 18:56
Sources 1
About this happening:
**Organizations** are rapidly adopting **AI-driven auto remediation** and **agentic AI**, turning remediation automation into a mainstream security practice with measurable gains...
AI-driven auto remediation and agentic AI adoption surge across organizations
Target TrendAbout this happening: **Organizations** are rapidly adopting **AI-driven auto remediation** and **agentic AI**, turning remediation automation into a mainstream security practice with measurable gains...
Shadow AI use at work is driving security and compliance incidents across global organizations
Target Trend
First: 20.11.2025 12:15
Last: 20.11.2025 12:15
Sources 1
About this happening:
**Shadow AI** use at work is becoming a material risk for **global organizations**, with **69%** of cybersecurity leaders already seeing employee use of **public GenAI** and a for...
Shadow AI use at work is driving security and compliance incidents across global organizations
Target TrendAbout this happening: **Shadow AI** use at work is becoming a material risk for **global organizations**, with **69%** of cybersecurity leaders already seeing employee use of **public GenAI** and a for...
Timeline
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09.04.2026 13:00 2 articles · 1mo ago
Global organizations report rising NHI and AI agent credential use
Initial DisclosureGlobal organizations face rising non-human identities and credentialed AI agents as the 2026 SANS State of Identity Threats & Defenses Survey finds 76% report growth in NHIs such as service accounts, API keys, automation bots and workload identities, while 74% already use AI agents or automations that require credentials. The same survey highlights weak governance and credential hygiene, including broad reliance on manual access reviews, ticket-based provisioning and periodic rotation, and recommends secrets vaults, automated rotation, scoped least-privilege access and human-in-the-loop approvals to reduce agentic AI risk.
Show sources
- Governance Gaps Emerge as AI Agents Drive 76% Increase in NHIs — www.infosecurity-magazine.com — 09.04.2026 13:00
- Governance Gaps Emerge as AI Agents Drive 76% Increase in NHIs — www.infosecurity-magazine.com — 09.04.2026 13:00