Cisco survey of 8,000 security pros: 60% blame organizational barriers, not tech, for AI-era defense gaps
HankYeomans · x · 2026-10-03
Cisco's new report Relentless Defense surveys 8,000 security practitioners on AI-era cybersecurity. Key finding: 60% said the biggest drag in their last incident was an organizational barrier — siloed teams, fragmented data, skill gaps — rather than a technical limitation.
The defense score weights friction at 50% (coverage and speed 25% each) based on this feedback, grouping defenders into four tiers: Relentless (8%), Established (39%), Reactive (41%), and Exposed (12%).
Notable gaps between global average and top-tier Relentless defenders: consistent controls across environments 44% vs 74%, strong identity controls 44% vs 70%, active protection on 95% of endpoints 20% vs 51%, and visibility into AI tool usage 38% vs 61%. The report argues organizational execution and budget prioritization matter more than technology alone.
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