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RESEARCH REPORT

State of Cybersecurity Resilience 2025

What are the key strategies for enhancing cybersecurity resilience in an AI-driven world? How can your organizations boost their security posture maturity? Explore this and more in our latest survey.

10-MINUTE READ

June 25, 2025

This report serves as a wake-up call that cybersecurity can no longer be an afterthought. It must be embedded by design into every AI-driven initiative.

Paolo Dal Cin / Global Lead, Accenture Security

Cyber threats are evolving faster than enterprise defenses can adapt.

With unprecedented speed and scale, AI is enabling attackers to bypass legacy systems and overwhelm security teams. Traditional defenses are no longer sufficient. 

The cyber threat landscape is being reshaped not only by technology, but by geopolitics. Heightened global tensions, changing trade dynamics and shifting regulations are compounding cyber exposure. As companies respond by adjusting supply chains and data strategies, many are unknowingly introducing new cyber risks —especially when security assessment, compliance and risk protocols fail to keep pace.

Only 36%

of technology leaders acknowledge that AI is outpacing their security capabilities.

90%

of companies lack the maturity to counter today’s AI-enabled threats.

77%

of organizations lack the foundational data and AI security practices needed to safeguard critical models, data pipelines and cloud infrastructure.

Organizations understand the changing threat landscape.

Organizations perceptions of AI-driven cyber threats.

Organizations view of external factors impacting cybersecurity.

While AI adoption races ahead, security is playing catch-up.

Only 42%

of organizations striking a balance between AI development and security investment.

Only 28%

of organizations embed security into transformation initiatives from the outset.

83%

of executives cite workforce limitations as a major barrier to sustaining a secure posture.

Security gaps are widening, pressuring organizations to boost defenses.

But they’re often running into roadblocks.

To better understand security readiness, we’ve identified three distinct security posture maturity zones, assessed across two critical dimensions: cyber strategy—the ability to design and execute risk strategies—and cyber capability—the technical proficiency to apply Zero Trust, enhance resilience and secure cyber-physical systems at scale.

Only 10%

of organizations occupy the coveted Reinvention-Ready Zone, demonstrating both robust security capabilities and integrated cyber strategy.

27%

of organizations fall into the Progressing Zone—either strong on cyber strategy but lacking in implementation (24%) or strong on protection but lacking strategic alignment (3%).

63%

of organizations languish in the Exposed Zone, lacking both strategy and capability, making them prime targets for cyber threats.

The state of organizations' security posture maturity.

Our research shows that companies in the Reinvention-Ready Zone demonstrate a significant advantage. 

Compared to those in the Exposed Zone, they are 69% less likely to experience advanced attacks such as AI-powered cyberattacks and have a 1.5 times higher success rate in blocking attacks.

4 actions to strengthen AI security

Companies must take four decisive actions to protect AI investments and leverage AI's defensive capabilities:

01

Develop and deploy a fit-for-purpose security governance framework and operating model

Establish clear accountability and align AI security with regulatory and business objectives. Achieving this requires a clear AI security framework that’s aligned with enterprise risk, regulatory compliance and business objectives.

Actions to take

  • Make AI security a C-Suite priority with accountability and collaboration

  • Build an adaptive AI risk and compliance framework

  • Strengthen human risk awareness to close security gap
02

Design the Digital Core to be generative AI-secure from the outset

Traditional security alone is insufficient. True cyber resilience in an AI-driven world requires embedding advanced security controls into the Digital Core.

Actions to take

  • Ensure secure-by-design cloud for AI

  • Strengthen identity and access management (IAM) with centralized security and Zero Trust

  • Secure AI data with robust governance, protection and monitoring

  • Secure and future-proof applications
03

Maintain resilient AI systems with secure foundations and proactive threat management

As AI adoption accelerates, threat actors are leveraging adversarial AI techniques like data poisoning, model inversion and automated prompt injections. To counter these evolving threats, organizations must establish strong security foundations and continuously monitor AI-specific risks.

Actions to take

  • Strengthen AI defenses with threat intelligence, continuous monitoring and proactive security testing

  • Build AI incident response plans that actually work

  • Lock down AI supply chain risks before they become problems
04

Reinvent cybersecurity with generative AI: Automate, detect risks early and strengthen defense

As threats grow more complex, organizations must strengthen security with fewer resources. Generative AI accelerates response times by processing vast data, uncovering risks and detecting threats faster than ever.

Actions to take

  • Anticipate and automate threat response with AI
  • Use AI security agents for efficiency
  • Fortify digital trust with AI-driven access intelligence

The path forward is clear

Security is not just a safeguard—it is a strategic enabler of innovation, trust and long-term success.

By adopting a secure governance framework, building resilient AI systems, leveraging generative AI for security and embedding security into every stage of AI development, companies can close the security gap and confidently navigate an era of accelerating cyber threats.

Embed security into your AI transformation to thrive, build trust and stay resilient.

WRITTEN BY

Paolo Dal Cin

Global Lead – Accenture Security

Daniel Kendzior

Global Data and AI Lead – Accenture Security

Yusof Seedat

Global Research Lead – Accenture Security