Brazil Leads Global Identity Security Trends According to RSA’s 2026 ID IQ Report BRASÍLIA, Brazil – A new global study from RSA, a leader in identity-first cybersecurity, reveals that identity-related breaches have become more frequent and costly than ever, with Brazil emerging as a global frontrunner in adopting passwordless authentication. The 2026 RSA ID IQ Report, based on insights from over 2,100 cybersecurity, identity and access management (IAM), and IT professionals, highlights growing risks tied to identity failures, evolving threat landscapes, and shifting attitudes toward AI in security. The report finds that 69% of organizations experienced an identity-related breach in the past three years—a 27-percentage-point increase from the previous year. This 64% year-over-year rise suggests either a surge in successful attacks, improved detection capabilities, or both. The findings underscore a rapidly deteriorating identity security environment. Financial impacts are also escalating. Forty-five percent of organizations reported that the cost of an identity-related breach exceeded the average breach cost as defined by IBM. Notably, 24% said their breach costs surpassed $10 million, up three points from the prior year. One of the most concerning threats is the exploitation of IT help desks through social engineering. Following high-profile breaches at MGM Resorts, Caesars Entertainment Group, and Marks & Spencer—each initiated via service desk compromises—65% of organizations now express serious concern about similar attacks. Fifty-one percent consider service desk bypasses their top identity risk. Brazil stands out globally in its adoption of passwordless authentication. Half of Brazilian respondents reported using passwordless methods at least half the time—nine percentage points higher than the global average—making Brazil the world leader in passwordless usage. Despite widespread optimism about AI’s role in cybersecurity, there is a notable divergence in Brazil. While 83% of global respondents believe AI will do more good than harm in cybersecurity over the next three years, and 91% plan to implement AI in their tech stacks—up 12 points year-over-year—Brazilian organizations show the highest likelihood of adopting AI in the coming year. Yet they also report the highest frequency of concern that AI will empower cybercriminals more than defenders. “Identity-related breaches exploded in 2026, jumping from 42% to 69% of organizations in just one year, with help desk social engineering emerging as a major new attack vector,” said Laura Marx, RSA’s Chief Marketing and Growth Officer. “This data should compel leaders to urgently assess and strengthen their identity security posture.” Greg Nelson, CEO of RSA, emphasized the urgency: “The 2026 RSA ID IQ Report underscores that identity simply fails too many organizations too often. The likelihood of a breach—and the cost of inaction—are too high for leaders to tolerate the status quo.” David Audiffred, RSA Country Manager for Brazil, added, “Brazilian security leaders should review the report to understand how their organizations compare globally and to gain insights into the trends shaping identity security worldwide.” The full 2026 RSA ID IQ Report, along with an infographic and on-demand webinar, is available for download. RSA’s Unified Identity Platform helps protect more than 60 million identities across 9,000 high-security organizations, offering passwordless access, risk-based authentication, automated identity intelligence, and identity governance across cloud, hybrid, and on-premises environments.