Cybersecurity is entering uncharted waters. A rapidly shifting world order and threat environment ― powered by recent, exponential leaps in technology ― is putting cyber strategies to the test.
Organizations are confronting the new reality of a post-globalization era, one that’s marked by fractured alliances, weakened global institutions, tariff shocks, and disrupted supply chains. We’re witnessing unprecedented technology advances that are expanding the attack surface and introducing novel cyber threats, many of them state-sponsored.
PwC’s 2026 Global Digital Trust Insights survey of 3,887 business and tech executives across 72 countries reveals how leaders are handling this era of uncertainty, where they’re falling short, and what they might do differently to better meet the challenge. Among the key findings:
- Geopolitical risk is shaping strategy: 60% of business and tech leaders rank cyber risk investment in their top three strategic priorities in response to ongoing geopolitical uncertainty.
- Resilience is a work in progress: Given the current geopolitical landscape, roughly half say their organization is at best only ‘somewhat capable’ of withstanding cyber-attacks targeting specific vulnerabilities. Only 6% feel confident across all vulnerabilities surveyed.
- Waiting for trouble: Only 24% of organizations are spending significantly more on proactive measures (e.g., monitoring, assessments, testing, controls) than reactive measures (incident response, fines, recovery). That’s the ideal spend ratio. Most companies (67%) are spending roughly equal amounts on both categories, which can be more costly and risky.
- AI agents for cyber defense: Agentic AI ranks among the top AI security capabilities organizations are prioritizing over the next 12 months. They plan to deploy these agents for cloud security, data protection and cyber defense and operations, among other priority areas.
- The quantum clock is ticking: Although quantum computing ranks among the top five threats organizations are least prepared to address, fewer than 10% prioritize it in budgets and only 3% have implemented all leading quantum-resistant measures surveyed.
- Rethinking the cyber talent crisis: Skills shortages remain one of the biggest barriers to cyber progress. Over half (53%) are prioritizing AI and machine learning tools to help close capability gaps, and specialized managed services are becoming strategic accelerators to provide expertise and scale.