Data Breaches Could Set a Record in 2026
If the current pace of data breaches continues, 2026 could set an annual record for amount of compromises.
In the first half of 2026, 1,803 data compromises were tracked by the Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC), a non-profit organization designed to minimize the impact of identity theft, scams, and fraud. In Q2 2026, 1,029 incidents were recorded, marking the second-highest for one quarter in ITRC’s tracking history.
If this pace continues, the year’s compromises could reach 3,600, surpassing 2025’s record of 3,321 compromises.
In just six months, an estimated 471.2 million breach victim notices have been recorded. This year has already surpassed 2025 in terms of these notices, largely driven by notable mega-breaches throughout the year. For instance, the breach of Instructure led to approximately 275 million victim notices (based on victims reported), which is 58% of recorded notices.
Top Compromises by Sector
- Financial (387)
- Healthcare (281)
- Professional Services (269)
- Manufacturing (189)
- Technology (99)
2026 Data Breach Trends
- Insider wrongdoing breaches increased by sevenfold since 2025.
- Details regarding breach attack vectors were included in only 24% of notices, the lowest rate ever recorded.
- Zero-day attacks are increasing, driven in part by AI.
- Publicly traded organizations made up 10.3% of events but 83.4% of victim notices.
- 280.6 million victim notices were caused by supply chain attacks.
Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!
