Fortinet releases 2026 Global Cybersecurity Skills Gap Report

Fortinet released its 2026 Global Cybersecurity Skills Gap Report, which catalogs ongoing cybersecurity talent shortages and identifies how the spread of AI use affects defenders and planning. The survey results focus on breach rates, reported costs, and gaps between board-level understanding and operational needs.

The report found that 86% of organizations reported one or more breaches in the past 12 months. Among respondents, 52% said breaches cost more than $1 million, with the average cost of a breach cited as $2 million in North America. For the third consecutive year, IT leaders cited lack of cybersecurity skills as a top cause of breaches at 56%, while 49% said they struggle to get approval for additional cybersecurity talent despite 50% reporting penalties faced by executives and board members after a cyberattack.

In the report’s assessment of AI-related risk, employee use of AI was described as a factor people do not fully understand, with only half of leaders saying board members are fully aware of potential risks from AI use. It also projected more need for AI oversight and governance roles on cybersecurity teams over the next three years, with 63% expecting that shift. On adoption of AI-powered cybersecurity tools, 91% of respondents said they were using or experimenting with such solutions, and 84% said AI-enhanced security tools help IT and security teams be more effective and efficient.

Fortinet linked the skills gap to hiring and training plans, including that 92% said they would invest in AI-related cybersecurity training or certifications in the next 12 months and 60% cited recruiting talent with specific AI experience as a top recruiting challenge. It also reported that organizations required new skillsets for AI model development (55%), AI tool oversight (54%), and security automation (52%), with 59% developing internal training or reskilling programs and 52% procuring training from industry vendors. “Cybersecurity is not simply a technical issue but a strategic business risk. This year’s survey suggests that while boards generally recognize the importance of cybersecurity, more investment is needed to address key issues, such as rapidly accelerating AI risks and the ongoing cybersecurity skills shortage. Addressing these issues is critical to business resilience in an increasingly complex threat landscape.” – Dr. Carl Windsor, CISO at Fortinet.