There is a disconnect between the perceived and actual cyber readiness among global enterprises, according to a survey by IT services firm Kyndryl.
The survey, titled ‘Cyber Gauge 2024: Navigating the Complex Cybersecurity Landscape’ and conducted with Amazon Web Services (AWS), underlined the critical need for more robust cyber resilience strategies.
Notably, while 94 per cent of organisations feel prepared to mitigate cyberattacks, 71 per cent believe they are likely to experience a disruptive incident within the next year that could impact their financial performance.
This gap highlights the urgent need for improved awareness and stronger measures to handle sophisticated cyber threats.
Conducted with AWS, Kyndryl’s survey engaged over 600 IT decision-makers across seven industries and 12 countries to assess their preparedness for fast-evolving cybersecurity threats.
The survey sheds light on the ongoing challenges organisations face in the cyber threat landscape.
52 per cent of IT leaders grapple with operational challenges such as preparing for emerging threats like nation-state and generative artificial intelligence (AI) attacks.
Furthermore, securing hybrid cloud environments remains a priority for 47 per cent of organisations, while managing the complexity of multiple security solutions concerns 42 per cent of respondents.
The frequency of attacks is also significant. 54 per cent of large organisations reported experiencing a cyberattack that disrupted IT systems or data in the past year, with 61 per cent of those encountering four or more incidents.
Moreover, a lack of executive support is evident, as 69 per cent of respondents report insufficient backing from business leaders for essential security measures, and 73 per cent indicate board-level disinterest in security readiness.
Despite high confidence (94 per cent) in handling changing regulatory dynamics, 77 per cent of organisations struggle with aligning security and other risk-mitigating teams, and 72 per cent lack clear business continuity roadmaps.
Organisational constraints, too, are apparent. 54 per cent of organisations noted that remote work strains their security teams, while cybersecurity budget restrictions and skills shortages, each cited by 43 per cent of respondents, continue to challenge security resilience.
Industry-specific challenges also emerge from the survey, with retail (61 per cent), manufacturing (57 per cent), and chemicals, oil, and gas (56 per cent) sectors reporting high incidences of cyberattacks.
Government organisations face an even greater threat, with 74 per cent experiencing four or more attacks in the last year.
Kris Lovejoy, Global Security and Resiliency Practice Leader, Kyndryl said “the survey findings reveal a complex cyber threat landscape where businesses face persistent threats despite feeling prepared.”
He added that “with more than half of organisations experiencing disruptive incidents in the last year, it is imperative that businesses make cyber resilience a board-level priority.”
Lovejoy concluded that “achieving this is not a one-time effort but an ongoing commitment to safeguarding our digital future.”
