New Research Exposes Critical Gap: 64% of Third-Party Applications Access Sensitive Data Without Authorization

Reflectiz's 2026 State of Web Exposure research, based on analysis of 4,700 leading websites, reports a sharp escalation in client‑side risk driven by third‑party applications and unmanaged digital integrations: 64% of third‑party apps access sensitive data without legitimate justification, common offenders include Google Tag Manager, Shopify and Facebook Pixel, and the report highlights surges in malicious activity across government (to 12.9%) and education (1 in 7) sites; the full 43‑page report provides sector breakdowns, high‑risk third‑party lists, technical IOCs, and recommended controls.