Among the 49 respondents for whom agent data access applies, 49 percent use per-agent credentials, 37 percent shared service accounts, 8 percent delegated user identity and 6 percent credential-free or brokered access. Across all 71 respondents asked, 31 percent say the question is not yet applicable to them.
The applicable-only cut answers the narrower, more useful question: among respondents already using one of the listed access methods, how are agents authenticated? The all-respondent base of 71 keeps "not applicable yet," so the report does not imply that every respondent currently operates agents with enterprise-data access.
| Access method | Count | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Per-agent credentials | 24 | 49% |
| Shared service accounts | 18 | 37% |
| Delegated user identity | 4 | 8% |
| Credential-free or brokered access | 3 | 6% |
What this does not prove: the survey records which access method respondents selected, not permission scope, logging quality, or whether any configuration meets a specific control standard.
Full data, bases, and methodology: AI Leaders AI Leverage Report, October 2026 and CISO AI Leverage Report, October 2026.
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