The job cuts and budget tightening at U.S. technology firms and other large enterprise sectors are also influencing cybersecurity spending and hiring, with fresh data showing security budgets will grow only 4 percent this year compared with 8 percent in 2024.
These spending reductions are also impacting hiring and staffing.
The study, produced by IANS Research and executive search firm Artico Search, found that staffing growth slowed to 7 percent – the lowest level in four years. At the same time, nearly 9 in 10 CIOs interviewed for the report noted that their teams are either stretched thin or understaffed, leading to serious discussions about cyber risks at a time of expanded security requirements.
The reasons for these cyber budget and spending reductions are numerous and include concerns over global market volatility – driven by geopolitical tensions – along with uncertain tariff policies in the U.S. and elsewhere, and fluctuating inflation and interest rates.
The research, which is based on responses from 587 CISOs, noted that cybersecurity – after years of growth and attention as threats became more prominent and impactful on the bottom line – is now…
