Business Leaders Cite Cybersecurity as Top Performance Risk

A new survey finds that insufficient risk integration leaves many companies vulnerable to complex cyber and privacy threats.

Updated on Oct. 26, 2026 in Cybersecurity

Isometric editorial illustration of a heavy, monolithic steel structural column standing in a clean, empty architectural void. — Nearly three-quarters of business leaders identify cybersecurity as the primary threat to their firm's performance, according to a new industry survey. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Do you believe companies must integrate risk management across all departments to stay secure?

Nearly three-quarters of business leaders identify cybersecurity incidents as the primary threat to their organization's performance. Despite these concerns, less than half of organizations currently practice fully integrated risk management.

Why it matters

When risk functions remain siloed, companies suffer from delayed incident detection and response. This lack of integration prevents leadership from gaining a complete view of emerging operational dangers.

While 74% of surveyed leaders prioritize cybersecurity as the top risk, only 49% express high or very high confidence in their ability to detect advanced threats. Organizations currently manage risks like fraud, compliance, and cyber through disconnected data teams.

The players

Grant Thornton

This professional services network conducted the survey of 1,100 business leaders regarding risk management practices.

The details

Organizations are attempting to gain enterprise-wide visibility by standardizing and cleansing data across functional units. Survey participants highlighted enterprise risk management and governance, as well as data analytics and reporting, as key priorities for upcoming investments.

Over the next 12 months, leaders plan to prioritize investments in identity and access management.
Cybersecurity incidents are expected to remain the primary risk to performance over the next two years.

The Tech Race

The push toward integrated risk management follows the pattern set by the SEC cybersecurity disclosure rules. This shift marks a departure from traditional, siloed corporate security structures toward a model that emphasizes unified data and governance as a competitive necessity.

Consumers may experience improved service reliability as firms adopt better data-cleansing practices to mitigate cyber threats. Enhanced identity and access management protocols will likely result in stricter login requirements for customer accounts and platforms.

The takeaway

Companies that fail to bridge the gap between their disparate data teams remain significantly more susceptible to disruptive cyber events. Leaders should prioritize standardizing risk reporting to ensure a more resilient operational framework.