State of Threat Management 2026

Exploring the shift towards intelligence-led Continuous Threat Exposure Management (CTEM), market readiness and what it means for the future of proactive cyber defense.

More tools, more data, more visibility. Still at risk.

Based on a survey of more than 550 cybersecurity leaders and practitioners worldwide, this report reveals why security teams, despite having unprecedented visibility and access to tooling, still struggle to identify, validate, and prioritize the risks that matter most.

97%

struggle determining whether exposures are actually exploitable

84%

of SOC teams get hit by attacks exploiting risks they already knew about.

42%

of analyst time wasted investigating risks that later prove low priority or non-exploitable

What’s inside

The report findings explores key industry trends related to exposure management, highlighting  he gap between risk awareness and effective action.

About the research

A global quantitative survey conducted in 2026, gathering insights from 550 security decision-makers and practitioners with experience in exposure management processes, all working at organizations with 1,000+ employees. Participants spanned 9 regions and 9 sectors, with particular focus on financial services, technology, and government/public sector organizations.

Research conducted by Vanson Bourne, an independent technology market research specialist.