- Organisations around the world are rethinking how they manage identity
- New research from HID is based on feedback from more than 1,500 security and IT professionals
- The company’s 2026 State of Security and Identity Report is free to download
Organisations around the world are rethinking how they manage identity, as growing pressure to strengthen security is matched by rising expectations around privacy, trust and user choice, new research from HID suggests.
The company’s 2026 State of Security and Identity Report, based on feedback from more than 1,500 security and IT professionals, end users and industry partners, paints a picture of an industry in transition.
While the push to modernise infrastructure is clear, the report indicates that many organisations are also grappling with how to do so in a way that people actually trust.
“Security leaders are clearly under pressure to modernise access and identity infrastructure, but our research shows they’re equally focused on the governance, protection and transparency that build lasting trust,” said Ramesh Songukrishnasamy, Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer at HID. “The organisations succeeding in 2026 are those giving stakeholders meaningful solution choice while maintaining robust security.”
One of the clearest shifts highlighted in the report is the growing importance of identity management itself. Around 73 per cent of respondents said it is now a top strategic priority, reflecting a move towards more joined-up systems that cover both physical access and digital platforms.
At the same time, mobile credentials are becoming more widely used, though not just for convenience. Half of respondents said improved security is now the main driver behind adoption, compared with 34 per cent who pointed to ease of use. Even so, most organisations are still operating hybrid systems, with 84 per cent of users continuing to rely on physical credentials alongside mobile ones.
Biometric technology is also becoming more central to access control. Around 45 per cent of respondents described it as a strategic priority, with fingerprint and facial recognition leading the way.
Concerns around ethics and privacy have surged, with 67 per cent of respondents now expressing a high or moderate level of concern – more than double the figure reported a year earlier.
The convergence of physical and digital identity systems is another major trend. Three quarters of organisations said they have either already introduced unified identity solutions or are in the process of evaluating them.
In theory, a single identity that works across buildings, networks and applications offers clear benefits, from improved efficiency to stronger security. In practice, however, organisations are still running into familiar obstacles, including limited budgets, technical complexity and a shortage of specialist expertise.
The report also points to a shift in how organisations are investing, with many moving away from standalone tools in favour of more integrated platforms that can provide a clearer, more cohesive view of security.
Yet integration itself remains a sticking point. More than half of respondents said complexity is still a barrier when it comes to identity systems, while over a third reported similar challenges in bringing physical and digital systems together.
Perhaps the most striking theme running through the findings is the growing importance of ethics and privacy. As identity technologies become more advanced concerns about how data is used and protected are becoming harder to ignore.
With 67 per cent of end users expressing concern, organisations are increasingly being forced to strengthen policies and governance frameworks, in an effort to strike a balance between tighter security and individual rights.
Drawing on insights from sectors including healthcare, education, government, finance and critical infrastructure, the report suggests that while progress is being made, gaps remain between ambition and execution.
