What’s the state of cybersecurity in the coming year?

As the cybersecurity threat landscape grows more complex, professionals are under pressure to safeguard their organizations while navigating skills gaps, AI disruption, and resource constraints. What challenges are your peers facing this year? How prepared are teams to respond to rising threats? Gain insights from ISACA’s State of Cybersecurity 2025 report and other resources to discover the answers to these questions and more.

Plus, in honor of Cybersecurity Awareness Month this October, ISACA is offering a special 20% discount on the Certified Cybersecurity Operations Analyst (CCOA) Online Review Course.

ISACA’s study of 3,800+ cybersecurity professionals

According to the study, cybersecurity professionals reported areas of top concern, including:

47%
OF CYBER TEAMS ARE INVOLVED IN AI GOVERNANCE, UP NOTABLY FROM LAST YEAR
63%
CITE THE COMPLEX THREAT LANDSCAPE AS THEIR LEADING STRESSOR
55%
OF THEIR ORGANIZATIONS’ CYBERSECURITY TEAMS ARE UNDERSTAFFED

Explore the State of Cybersecurity Report

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Expert insights

See what cybersecurity leaders had to say about this year’s research findings

Pablo Ballarin
We are living in a context of constant technological change, intrinsically linked with society, and ISACA’s 2025 survey reflects this reality. The findings reveal that cybersecurity is no longer just a technical battlefield, but also a human and organizational challenge. The growing skills gap—especially in adaptability and critical thinking—combined with rising stress and talent shortages, requires leaders to invest not only in technology but also in people. At the same time, the sharp rise in social engineering and the growing role of cybersecurity in AI governance remind us that trust and resilience must be built on both human judgment and robust governance frameworks.
PABLO BALLARIN
Cybersecurity Advisor
ISACA’s report highlights that 59% of organizations list soft skills as the top skills gap. When you break that down, you see critical thinking, communication, and problem-solving outpacing hard skills like threat detection and endpoint security. But still, you see very few organizations setting aside funding to close those gaps – and even fewer are measuring them during hiring.
JEFF WADE
Global CISO, cybersecurity strategist & thought leader
Jeff Wade
Kannammal Gopalakrishan
Cybersecurity leaders need to take a strategic and holistic approach to staffing by building targeted upskilling and reskilling programs to bridge competency gaps; aligning compensation, growth opportunities, and career pathways with market standards to stay competitive; and then embedding clear objectives and key results to measure and demonstrate the impact of these initiatives. They also need to foster a strong culture of purpose, recognition, and inclusivity so employees feel valued and engaged, and adopt flexible work models and mentorship programs that improve work-life balance and long-term retention.
KANNAMMAL GOPALAKRISHNAN
Cybersecurity and GRC professional

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