Report by Optiv
2025 Cybersecurity Threat and Risk Management Report
Key Findings
46% of respondents say their organizations use AI/ML to prevent cyberattacks.
The average security budget is $24 million.
Outsourcing to managed security service providers (MSSPs) jumped from 47% in 2024 to 58% in 2025.
79% of respondents say their organization is making changes to its cybersecurity budget.
The primary drivers for AI/ML adoption are improving operational efficiency (41%) and maintaining competitive advantage (40%).
66% of respondents report cybersecurity incidents have increased significantly or increased in the past year. This is up from 61% in 2024.
Of organizations using AI/ML, 88% are incorporating generative AI at some level.
72% of respondents continue to significantly or moderately use Security Orchestration, Automation, and Response (SOAR) to reduce cyber threats.
Of organizations making budget changes, 71% say security budgets are increasing.
51% of respondents say their organizations have a Cybersecurity Incident Response Plan (CSIRP) applied consistently across the entire enterprise. This is up from 46% in 2024.
74% of respondents identify a lack of understanding of every potential source of vulnerability as their biggest challenge to effective vulnerability management.
66% of respondents say their organizations have fully or partially implemented Secure Access Service Edge (SASE).
67% of organizations are now using risk and threat assessments to inform budget decisions. This is up from 53% in 2024.
The effectiveness of CSIRPs in minimizing the consequences of cybersecurity incidents increased from 50% of respondents in 2024 to 57% of respondents in 2025
57% of respondents report automation has reduced the time to respond to vulnerabilities.
34% of respondents report seeing significant improvements in vulnerability response time due to automation.