PwC 2026 Cybersecurity Survey Finds Gaps in Resilience and Quantum Readiness
Summary
PwC’s survey of 3,887 executives across 72 countries finds cybersecurity readiness gaps despite rising budgets. Only 24% report spending significantly more on prevention than response, while quantum preparedness and data protection lag.
Key points
- PwC surveyed 3,887 business and technology executives across 72 countries between May and July 2025 for its 2026 Global Digital Trust Insights report.
- Cyber risk investment ranks among the top three geopolitical response priorities for 60% of respondents; only 6% of surveyed security and operations leaders rate their organisations very capable across all vulnerability areas assessed.
- Among respondents asked about budgets, 78% expect an increase in 2026. Across the full survey, only 24% report spending significantly more on proactive cybersecurity measures than reactive measures.
- AI and cloud security lead security leaders’ investment priorities at 36% and 34%. Knowledge and skills gaps are the leading reported barriers to implementing AI for cyber defence.
- Only 6% of respondents assessed on data risk report enterprise-wide implementation of every measure surveyed; data classification and data loss prevention reach 50% and 48%, respectively.
- Nearly half of organisations have not begun implementing quantum-resistant security measures. Only 8% of security leaders rank quantum readiness among their top three budget priorities, and 3% report implementing all seven measures surveyed.
- The report recommends continuous third-party risk monitoring, AI agent oversight, cryptographic inventories and executive exercises to strengthen readiness.
Article Details
- Publisher
- PwC
- Report Period
- 2026 edition; survey fieldwork conducted May through July 2025
- Scope
- Global survey of business and technology executives across 72 countries covering cyber preparedness, investment, AI, quantum-resistant security and workforce capabilities.
- Sample Size
- 3,887 business and technology executives; individual question bases vary.
- Key Statistics
- 60% of all 3,887 respondents ranked increased cyber risk investment among their top three cyber strategy changes in response to geopolitical conditions.
- Only 6% of 1,971 security leaders, COOs and Operations Directors described their organisations as very capable of withstanding major cyber attacks across all vulnerabilities surveyed.
- 24% of all 3,887 respondents reported spending significantly more on proactive than reactive cybersecurity measures; 67% reported a roughly equal spending ratio.
- Only 6% of 2,395 respondents in relevant executive and functional roles reported enterprise-wide implementation of every data risk measure surveyed.
- Only 3% of 1,740 security leaders reported implementing all seven quantum-resistant security measures surveyed; 8% ranked quantum computing among their top three cyber budget priorities.
- Recommendations
- Quantify cyber risk in business terms and align proactive security investment with exposure, risk appetite and measurable outcomes.
- Embed governance and security controls into AI deployments, including agent discovery, classification, exposure mapping and continuous monitoring.
- Inventory cryptographic dependencies, identify vulnerable algorithms and develop a roadmap for adopting post-quantum cryptographic standards.
- Replace point-in-time vendor assessments with continuous third-party risk monitoring.
- Run executive tabletop exercises and simulations to test decision-making, escalation paths and recovery procedures.
Countries
Industries
government and public servicesutilities and resources (9%); and government and public services (4%).Healthcaretelecom (19%); retail and consumer markets (16%); healthcare (10%); energy,industrial manufacturing and automotiveservices (21%); industrial manufacturing and automotive (21%); tech, media andretail and consumer marketstelecom (19%); retail and consumer markets (16%); healthcare (10%); energy,tech, media and telecomcompanies (37%) and companies operating in the tech, media and telecom industry