Hiscox 2026 Report Examines Cyberattacks, Business Impacts and Resilience
Original report publisher: not verified. Report discovered via Awesome Annual Security Reports.
Summary
Hiscox’s 2026 report, based on a survey of 6,800 cybersecurity decision-makers at smaller organisations, examines cyberattack rates, business impacts, AI concerns and resilience measures.
Key points
- Wakefield Research conducted the study in June 2026 among decision-makers at organisations with fewer than 250 employees in the USA, UK and eight mainland European countries.
- Survey respondents reported that 29% of organisations experienced at least one successful cyberattack in the previous 12 months, averaging four attacks among those affected.
- The report estimates an average annual cost of about $52,600 per attack and 32.8 hours of downtime.
- Reputational damage or loss of customer trust was the most-cited business risk (48%), followed by operational downtime (46%) and supply-chain disruption (44%).
- Among AI-related concerns for the next five years, respondents cited data poisoning (48%), reduced human oversight (43%), third-party AI vulnerabilities (43%), and AI-powered malware and phishing (41%).
- Reported resilience measures include updating employee security training (62%), hiring additional security staff (55%), and investing in security software and tools (51%).
- The report cautions that its 2017 and 2026 figures are not directly comparable because survey scope and methodology changed.
Article Details
- Publisher
- Hiscox
- Report Period
- 2026; survey conducted 2026-06-05 to 2026-06-17
- Scope
- Cyber preparedness and experiences of organizations with fewer than 250 employees in the USA, UK, and mainland Europe (France, Germany, Spain, Ireland, Portugal, Italy, the Netherlands, and Belgium).
- Sample Size
- 6,800 cyber security decision-makers
- Key Statistics
- 29% of organizations reported at least one successful cyber attack in the previous 12 months; affected organizations reported an average of 4.0 attacks.
- The reported average cost of a cyber attack was $52,602, and average operational downtime was 32.8 hours.
- 17% identified AI tools and software as an entry point for successful cyber attacks.
- Among organizations that experienced a cyber attack, 69% reported employee burnout, high stress, or a toxic workplace culture afterward.
- The 2017 and 2026 figures are indicative of changes over the decade and are not directly comparable because survey scope and methodology changed.
- Recommendations
- Install reputable, up-to-date security software across devices.
- Strengthen access controls with password managers and multi-factor authentication, and limit access to sensitive data.
- Regularly update software and devices.
- Back up data securely and test recovery.
- Regularly review and update user permissions, including access to AI systems and agents.
People
Countries
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