Widening cybersecurity leadership gap combined with escalating cybercrime costs and growing talent shortages is leaving organisations exposed
A widening gap in cybersecurity leadership combined with escalating cybercrime costs and growing talent shortages is leaving organisations increasingly exposed, according to the Sophos CISO Report 2026, developed in partnership with Cybersecurity Ventures.
The report reveals that while cyber risk is growing exponentially, the availability of experienced security leadership is not keeping pace, which is creating a structural imbalance in global cyber resilience.
Key findings:
- Only 35,000 CISOs for 359 million businesses: There are approximately 35,000 chief information security officers (CISOs) worldwide in 2026, serving an estimated 359 million businesses, a 10,000:1 ratio, highlighting a severe leadership gap
- Cybercrime to cost US$12.2 trillion annually by 2031: Global cybercrime costs are projected to nearly double from US$6 trillion in 2021 to US$12.2 trillion by 2031, making it one of the largest economic threats globally
- Ransomware remains dominant and costly: Ransomware is expected to cost...
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