Summary
The 2026 Data Breach Investigations Report (DBIR) is a comprehensive analysis of over 31,000 real-world security incidents, including more than 22,000 confirmed data breaches from organizations across 145 countries. This report represents the largest dataset examined in a single DBIR edition. The overarching theme of this report is maintaining a strong cybersecurity foundation amid rapid changes in the threat landscape. The findings indicate that exploitation of vulnerabilities is the most common method for attackers to gain access to organizations, underscoring the importance of basic cybersecurity practices. The report also highlights the evolving nature of social engineering and the increasing use of generative artificial intelligence by threat actors. Additionally, it provides detailed insights into various incident classification patterns and industry-specific analyses, focusing on small- and medium-sized businesses and regional trends. The report aims to equip enterprises with actionable information to navigate the complexities of cybersecurity effectively.
