“Businesses across all sectors are grappling with unprecedented challenges in today’s cybersecurity landscape,” stated Andrei Florescu, president and GM of Bitdefender Business Solutions Group.
He emphasized, “Our recent survey highlights the critical need for a comprehensive cybersecurity approach that integrates threat prevention, protection, detection, and response across every facet of operations, including cloud infrastructure, services, and supply chains. Effective cybersecurity aims not only to thwart attacks but also to reduce risk and optimize resources—both technological and human—to alleviate pressure on security teams.”
Regarding concerns about GenAI technology, a striking 96% of respondents viewed it as a significant threat. Of these, more than 36% highlighted its potential for generating deceptive content such as deepfakes. Interestingly, 74% expressed confidence in their colleagues’ ability to detect deepfake attacks (audio/video), showcasing a cautious optimism within their departments.
The survey revealed a disturbing trend of increasing data breaches, with 57% of organizations reporting incidents in the past year—a 6% rise compared to the previous period. UK respondents reported the highest incidence of breaches at 73.5%, followed by Germany at 61%, while Singapore experienced the least at 33%, significantly below the average.
Furthermore, job dissatisfaction appears prevalent, with 64.3% of respondents considering changing roles in the next 12 months—a notable 25% increase from the previous year. This sentiment aligns with the finding that 70.2% of respondents feel compelled to work weekends due to ongoing security concerns. Notably, 81% of UK respondents reported working weekends, and 76.6% of Germans expressed intent to seek new employment, surpassing the average by 12.2%.
IAM (Identity and Access Management) emerged as the primary concern in managing cloud environments, cited by 38.7% of respondents, closely followed by maintaining cloud compliance at 38%. Singapore respondents were particularly challenged by IAM, with 50.5% identifying it as their top issue. Shadow IT and misconfigurations were also significant concerns, rated at 36% and 34% respectively. Alarmingly, only 44.6% of respondents conduct regular audits and assessments to monitor cloud infrastructure risks.
Phishing and social engineering tactics topped the list of cybersecurity threats, identified by 32% of respondents, alongside software vulnerabilities/zero-days. GenAI’s influence on cyber threats and ransomware followed closely at 29%, with insider threats close behind at 28%. Over 74% noted an increase in the sophistication of phishing attacks, likely influenced by the rise of GenAI. In France, the US, and Germany, GenAI was perceived as the top threat over ransomware, with figures reaching 35.5%, 34.3%, and 32.8% respectively.
The survey highlighted the growing interest in Managed Detection and Response (MDR) services, driven primarily by the need for 24×7 security coverage (cited by over a third of respondents) and access to skilled security analysts. Additionally, 93% of respondents plan to increase investment in proactive cybersecurity measures such as penetration testing and red teaming, with Singapore showing the highest inclination at 97%.
When asked about challenges with current security solutions, 28% of respondents cited difficulties in adhering to data compliance and regulations, while 27.5% struggled with extending capabilities across multiple environments. Incompatibility with other security solutions concerned 25% of respondents, with US respondents notably expressing the most worry (29%) about the security of third-party partners—a 5% increase above the average.
The survey, based on insights from over 1,200 IT and security professionals ranging from managers to CISOs in companies with 1,000 or more employees worldwide, underscores the pressing cybersecurity challenges facing organizations today.
Source: helpnetsecurity.com
