Predictions about Identity for 2026
Friday, February 6, 2026 | Published by el-brujo
By 2026, identity security will evolve toward more advanced systems such as
AI for governance ,
“live” biometrics against deepfakes,
decentralized identity , and
passwordless authentication , while
machine identity and
post-quantum cryptography will gain prominence. The CISO will assume a key role in digital trust, and security will be integrated into development from the outset.
Identity will be the new strategic perimeter.
The world of identity security is constantly evolving. What was once a simple matter of usernames and passwords has evolved into a complex ecosystem of biometrics, hardware tokens, and zero-trust architectures. Looking ahead to 2026, the pace of change is accelerating. The boundaries between our digital and physical identities are blurring, and the threat landscape is becoming more sophisticated.
Staying ahead isn’t just about reacting to threats, but about anticipating them to reduce risk. Based on current trends, here are nine predictions about identity security for 2026.
1. AI will become the main tool for identity governance
Manual access reviews and role-based access control (RBAC) models are already showing their age. By 2026, AI-powered identity governance and administration (IGA) will be the norm. These systems will continuously analyze user behavior, resource sensitivity, and risk signals to grant, modify, or revoke access in real time. This “just-in-time” access will dramatically reduce the attack surface created by existing privileges.
2. Deepfakes will force the transition to “live” biometrics
The rise of convincing deepfakes will render traditional biometric markers, such as static facial scans and voiceprints, unreliable for high-stakes authentication . The focus will shift to detecting “liveness.” Think multi-frame facial analysis that tracks subtle muscle movements or voice authentication that analyzes unique vocal cord patterns. Proving you are alive will be just as important as proving who you are.
3. Decentralized identity will gain business momentum
Self-sovereign identity (SSI) and decentralized identifiers (DIDs) will transcend the crypto community and become integrated into the enterprise. Businesses will begin adopting verifiable credentials, empowering employees and customers to control their own identity data. This will simplify onboarding, reduce data storage risks for businesses, and give individuals unprecedented control over their personal information. Their digital wallet will contain their job title, employment verification, and login credentials, all signed and verified on a blockchain.
4. Passwordless authentication becomes the norm, not the exception
The push to eliminate passwords has been slow, but 2026 will be the tipping point. The widespread adoption of passwordless access keys, championed by major companies like Apple, Google, and Microsoft, will finally make passwordless multi-factor authentication (MFA) the default user experience. The convenience and superior security will be too compelling for organizations to ignore, relegating passwords to legacy systems.
5. Identity becomes the central axis of OT and IoT security
As operational technology (OT) and the Internet of Things (IoT) become more interconnected, the security of these devices will be a top priority. The focus will shift from network-level security to device-level identity. Every sensor, actuator, and controller in a production plant or smart building must have a unique and verifiable identity. This will enable granular zero-trust policies that prevent unauthorized devices from communicating or executing commands.
6. The “Identity of Things” will require a new security paradigm
Beyond enterprise IoT, we will see an explosion of machine identities. Every microservice, API, and container in a cloud-native environment will have its own identity. Managing the lifecycle of these ephemeral, non-human identities will require specialized Cloud Infrastructure Entitlement Management (CIEM) and machine identity management tools capable of handling millions of credentials at scale.
7. Quantum computing will drive better encryption standards.
While large-scale quantum computers capable of breaking RSA and ECC encryption are still on the horizon, the threat will be taken seriously by 2026. “Harvest now, decrypt later” attacks , in which adversaries steal encrypted data today to decrypt it with future quantum computers, will drive the first wave of post-quantum cryptography (PQC) adoption in identity systems, especially in government and critical infrastructure.
8. The CISO role will encompass both Identity and Trust functions
The scope of the CISO role will expand significantly. As identity becomes the central control plane for all access (employees, customers, machines, and partners), the CISO will become the primary advocate for digital trust. Their responsibilities will merge traditional cybersecurity with digital risk, privacy, and identity strategy.
9. Identity security will be fully integrated into the development lifecycle
The “Left Shift” concept will fully encompass identity. Application security will no longer be an afterthought. Identity and access controls will be defined and integrated directly into the code during the development process (Identity as Code). Developers will use standard libraries and APIs to manage authentication and authorization, making secure access a fundamental component of the application architecture from day one.
The way forward
The world of 2026 will be more connected, automated, and intelligent than ever before. This presents incredible opportunities, but also creates a complex and challenging threat landscape. The common thread is identity. It is the new perimeter, the key to driving business, and the foundation of digital trust. The organizations that thrive will be those that stop treating identity as a mere IT function and begin to view it as a fundamental strategic imperative.
Source: THN
