Cybersecurity Hiring Stalls, IT Leaders Face Corporate Pushback The Fortinet 2026 Global Cybersecurity Skills Gap Report identifies a critical shortage of technical talent as a primary driver of enterprise security breaches. While organizations adopt AI for defense, a lack of executive investment and specialized training creates significant financial and strategic risks. Eighty six percent of organizations experienced at least one security breach in previous years, while 49% of information technology leaders face corporate resistance when seeking to hire the talent necessary to mitigate AI-driven threats, reports Fortinet. The rising frequency and sophistication of cyberattacks correlate with a disconnect between board-level risk perception and budgetary allocation: companies are not scaling like cyberthreats are doing. "Cybersecurity is not simply a technical issue but a strategic business risk,” says Carl Windsor, CISO, Fortinet. “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." The shortage of cybersecurity skills remains a leading cause of devastating security breaches for the third consecutive year. According to Fortinet, 56% of information technology (IT) leaders attribute successful intrusions to a lack of specialized personnel. This deficit occurs during a period of escalating financial consequences for the private sector. Fifty-two percent of organizations report that breaches cost more than US$1 million, which is a notable increase from the 38% reported in 2021. Within North America, the average cost of a breach has reached US$2 million. Organizational friction at the executive level hampers the ability of security teams to defend the enterprise. Although 51% of leaders indicate a requirement for senior-level cybersecurity skills, nearly half struggle to obtain the necessary approval for additional headcounts. This resistance persists despite the direct professional risks to leadership. The report reveals that 50% of executives and