Only 4% of organisations are truly cyber-ready. Discover key insights from Cisco’s 2025 Readiness Index and how TD SYNNEX can help partners to lead the way in AI-driven security.
As we move deeper into the digital era, cybersecurity is a business imperative, not just a technical concern. The rise of artificial intelligence (AI), hybrid work environments, and increasingly sophisticated cyber threats has forced organisations to rethink their security strategies. But are they keeping up? According to the newly released Cisco Cybersecurity Readiness Index 2025 the answer is: not quite.
A snapshot of global readiness
Here are some of the most striking insights from Cisco’s Cybersecurity Readiness Index 2025.
These numbers paint a clear picture. While awareness is growing, execution is lagging:
- Only 4% of organisations have achieved a ‘mature’ level of cybersecurity readiness; an increase of just 1% from last year.
- 86% of companies experienced AI-related security incidents in the past 12 months.
- 49% of respondents believe their employees fully understand AI-related threats.
- Over 50% of organisations have 10+ cybersecurity roles currently unfilled.
- 45% allocate more than 10% of their IT budget to cybersecurity; down from 53% in 2024.
- 96% plan to upgrade or restructure their IT infrastructure within the next two years.
Understanding the five pillars of readiness
Cisco’s annual index evaluates organisations across five key pillars of cybersecurity readiness. Findings are based on a global survey of over 8,000 cybersecurity leaders and IT decision-makers. Cisco’s framework offers a comprehensive view of what it takes to be truly cyber-ready in today’s landscape. Let’s break down each pillar:
- Identity intelligence
Managing user identities and access controls effectively is essential. Remote work and cloud adoption has introduced identity as a new perimeter. Organisations must ensure that only the right people have access to the right resources at the right time. - Network resilience
A resilient network can withstand attacks and recover quickly. This includes segmentation, zero-trust architectures, and continuous monitoring. It’s not just about preventing breaches; it’s about minimising impact when they occur. - Machine trustworthiness
As AI and automation become more prevalent, machines are making decisions that were once human-led. Ensuring the integrity and security of these systems is critical to maintaining trust. - Cloud reinforcement
Workloads are increasingly moving to the cloud, so securing cloud environments is non-negotiable. This includes visibility, compliance, and threat detection across multi-cloud infrastructures. - AI fortification
AI is both a tool and a target. While it can enhance threat detection and response, it also introduces new vulnerabilities. Organisations must secure AI models, data pipelines, and decision-making processes.
The AI paradox: power vs. risk
One of the most compelling findings from the report is the paradox surrounding AI.
While 86% of organisations faced AI-related incidents, only 10% consider AI the most difficult aspect of their security infrastructure to protect.
This suggests a gap in understanding. AI is often seen as a silver bullet for cybersecurity, automating threat detection, accelerating response times, and reducing human error. But without proper governance, it can become a liability. For example:
- AI models can be manipulated through adversarial attacks.
- Data used to train models can be poisoned.
- Automated decisions can introduce bias or errors if not properly monitored.
Organisations must treat AI as both an asset and a risk, building robust frameworks for AI governance and security.
What this means for TD SYNNEX partners
For partners working with TD SYNNEX and Cisco, the index offers both a challenge and an opportunity.
The Challenge
Your clients may be underestimating their exposure, especially when it comes to AI and cloud environments. Many lack the internal expertise or resources to address these gaps.
The Opportunity
You can become a trusted advisor. By leveraging Cisco’s portfolio of security solutions, combined with TD SYNNEX’s enablement programs, you can help your clients to:
- Assess their current readiness.
- Build a roadmap for improvement.
- Implement scalable, future-proof security architectures.
Whether it’s through Cisco Secure Access, Cisco XDR, or Cisco Duo, you have the tools to guide organisations toward maturity.
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