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Survey: 55% of Breach-Affected Security Professionals Were Told to Keep It Quiet

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Summary

Bitdefender’s 2026 assessment found that 55.2% of surveyed IT and security professionals who experienced a breach or incident were asked to keep it confidential, even when disclosure was required.

Key points

  • The assessment surveyed more than 1,200 IT and security professionals across six countries; roughly half reported a breach or security incident in the past year.
  • Among respondents reporting an incident, 55.2% said they were asked to keep it confidential, even when it should have been disclosed.
  • Reported pressure to stay silent rose from 42% in 2023 to 57.6% in 2025, then eased to 55.2% in 2026.
  • The article says attackers may offer quiet recovery in exchange for payment and threaten to expose data or notify regulators if an organization refuses.
  • A culture that discourages reporting can delay response while attackers establish persistence, steal credentials, and move laterally.
  • The article recommends setting disclosure plans in advance and building a no-blame culture that encourages rapid internal reporting.

Article Details

Publisher
Bitdefender
Report Period
2026 assessment; breach experiences during the preceding 12 months
Scope
Survey of IT & security professionals across six countries covering breach disclosure, attack surface challenges, AI, and security decision pressures.
Sample Size
More than 1,200 IT & security professionals across six countries.
Key Statistics
  • Roughly half of surveyed professionals reported a breach or security incident during the preceding 12 months.
  • Among respondents who experienced a breach or security incident, 55.2% said they were asked to keep a breach confidential even when it should have been disclosed.
  • The reported proportion asked to keep breaches quiet was 42.0% in 2023, 57.6% in 2025, and 55.2% in 2026.
  • A majority of professionals in the U.S., Germany, the UK, and Singapore reported being asked to keep a breach silent during the preceding 12 months; the proportion was just under 50% in France and Italy.
Recommendations
  • Decide the organization's breach disclosure posture before an incident occurs.
  • Build a no-blame internal reporting culture that rewards rapid reporting.
  • Prioritize prevention to reduce the likelihood of breaches.

People

Bruce SussmanArticle author and Director of Content Marketing and Communications at Bitdefender.Josh ArmstrongSr. Manager of the Bitdefender Global SOC who explained how a culture of silence can delay incident reporting and give attackers more time to operate.Martin ZugecBitdefender Technical Solutions Director who described attackers negotiating secretly with IT teams and offering confidentiality as part of payment arrangements.Nicholas JacksonDirector of Cybersecurity Services at Bitdefender who discussed perceived disclosure risks and attackers threatening to publish data or notify regulators if victims do not pay.

Countries

FranceGermany, the UK, and Singapore say they were asked to keep a breach silent during the last 12 months. In France and Italy, just under 50% report having to stay silent.GermanyA majority of IT & cybersecurity professionals in the U.S., Germany, the UK, and Singapore say they were asked to keep a breach silent during the last 12 months. In France and Italy, just under 50% report having to stayItalyUK, and Singapore say they were asked to keep a breach silent during the last 12 months. In France and Italy, just under 50% report having to stay silent.SingaporeA majority of IT & cybersecurity professionals in the U.S., Germany, the UK, and Singapore say they were asked to keep a breach silent during the last 12 months. In France and Italy, just under 50% report having to stayUnited KingdomA majority of IT & cybersecurity professionals in the U.S., Germany, the UK, and Singapore say they were asked to keep a breach silent during the last 12 months. In France and Italy, just under 50% report having to stayUnited StatesIT & security professionals in the U.S. are most likely to be pressured into hiding a breach, but a significant number of professionals in every country surveyed face similar pressure.