Cybersecurity Report Highlights Proactive Resilience, Emerging Threats & Critical Skills Gaps
A recent PwC report, the 2026 Global Digital Trust Insights, underscores a critical shift in cybersecurity strategy - moving from reactive defense to proactive resilience – as essential for driving business growth. According to Nick Godfrey,Senior Director and Global Head at the Office of the CISO for Google Cloud,this transition demands C-suite collaboration and investment in technologies like AI and cloud solutions to empower security teams.
The report emphasizes the importance of translating complex cyber risks into business language and establishing a shared understanding of cybersecurity as a collective responsibility. this shared understanding is foundational for robust governance,resilience,regulatory compliance,and effective incident response. Organizations are encouraged to adopt a “secure-by-design” approach and leverage data analytics to strategically prioritize cybersecurity investments.
Beyond current threats, the report flags the looming challenge of quantum computing. While not an immediate danger, delaying the adoption of post-quantum cryptography could leave sensitive data, authentication services, and cryptographic systems vulnerable to future disruption. Currently, 29% of organizations are piloting and testing post-quantum solutions, but only 22% have progressed beyond the pilot phase, with nearly half (49%) having not yet begun implementation. Obstacles include a lack of understanding of the risks and limited internal resources.
A critically important impediment to progress across the board is the ongoing cybersecurity workforce shortage. This shortage is particularly acute as organizations strive to operationalize AI, secure increasingly complex environments, and prepare for next-generation threats. Knowledge and skills gaps are the primary barriers to AI implementation for cyber defense.
To address these gaps, organizations are exploring a variety of strategies, including leveraging AI tools (53%), security automation tools (48%), consolidating cyber tools (47%), and investing in upskilling and reskilling initiatives (47%). A growing number,particularly those who have experienced a major cyberattack (48%),are also turning to specialized managed security services,especially for AI and cloud-related needs.These services are increasingly viewed as a means to modernize critical system delivery, rather than simply outsourcing capabilities.
Source: Industrial Cyber News, reported by Anna Ribeiro.