Cybersecurity firm Proofpoint has released its fifth annual Voice of the CISO report, and it is not good. The 2025 report, which surveyed 1,600 global CISOs across 16 countries, looked at the key challenges, expectations and priorities of chief information security officers (CISOs) worldwide. It also spotlighted two unhealthy trends. One is that the surge in cyberattacks, along with a growing willingness to pay ransoms when incidents occur, is fueling heightened anxiety among CISOs. The second trend is that the rapid rise of GenAI is forcing security leaders to balance innovation with risk, despite mounting concerns around data exposure and misuse.
“This year’s findings reveal a growing disconnect between confidence and capability among CISOs,” said Patrick Joyce, global resident CISO at Proofpoint. “While many security leaders express optimism about their organization’s cyberposture, the reality tells a different story. Rising data loss, readiness gaps, and persistent human risk continue to undermine resilience. As GenAI adoption accelerates both opportunity and threat, CISOs are being asked to do more with less, navigate unprecedented complexity, and still safeguard what matters most. It’s clear that the role of the CISO has never been more pivotal, or more pressured.”
The CISO numbers bear this out. As cyber threats become more frequent and multifaceted, CISOs are increasingly concerned about their organization’s ability to withstand a material attack. 76% of CISOs feel at risk of experiencing a material cyberattack in the next 12 months, yet 58% say they are unprepared to respond. Two-thirds of CISOs experienced material data loss in the past year, with insider-driven incidents topping the list of causes. With 92% attributing at least some data loss to departing employees according to survey data, human behavior remains a critical vulnerability. Reflecting the pressure, 66% of CISOs say they would consider paying a ransom to prevent data leaks or restore systems, based on survey responses.
As a result, AI has quickly emerged as both a top priority and a top concern for CISOs: 64% of global CISOs say enabling GenAI tool use is a strategic priority over the next two years, even as security worries persist. In the U.S., 80% of CISOs express concern over potential customer data loss via public GenAI platforms. As adoption accelerates, organizations are shifting from restriction to governance, with 67% implementing usage guidelines and 68% exploring AI-powered defenses—though enthusiasm has dipped from last year’s high of 87%.
“This year’s findings reveal a growing disconnect between confidence and capability among CISOs,” Joyce said. “While many security leaders express optimism about their organization’s cyberposture, the reality tells a different story.”
Key global findings from Proofpoint’s 2025 Voice of the CISO report include CISOs bracing for attacks amid rising data loss and readiness gaps. In 2025, 76% of CISOs surveyed feel at risk of experiencing a material cyberattack in the next 12 months, up from 70% last year. Yet 58% admit their organization is unprepared to respond. Two-thirds experienced a material data loss in the past year (up from 46% in 2024) despite the majority of CISOs expressing confidence in their cybersecurity culture.
CISOs also face an increasingly fragmented threat landscape with no single dominant risk – email fraud, insider threats, ransomware, and cloud account takeover are all top concerns. Despite the varied tactics, most attacks lead to the same outcome: data loss. Reflecting the high stakes, 66% of CISOs say they would consider paying a ransom to restore systems or prevent data leaks – rising to 84% in Canada and Mexico.
Departing employees played a role. 92% of CISOs who experienced data loss say that number was up from 73% last year. Despite near-universal adoption of Data Loss Prevention (DLP) tools, one-third say their data remains inadequately protected. As GenAI accelerates, 67% now rank information protection and governance as a top priority, prompting a shift to dynamic, context-aware security.
Human error remains the top cybersecurity vulnerability in 2025, with 66% of CISOs citing people as their greatest risk, despite 68% believing employees understand cybersecurity best practices. This disconnect highlights a critical gap: awareness alone is not enough. Nearly a third of organizations still lack dedicated insider risk resources to help bridge the gap between knowledge and behavior.
The rapid rise of GenAI is also amplifying concerns around human risk. Three in five CISOs worry about customer data loss via public GenAI tools, with collaboration platforms and GenAI chatbots seen as top security threats. Despite this, 64% say enabling safe GenAI use is a top priority – highlighting a shift from restriction to governance. Most are responding with guardrails: 67% have implemented usage guidelines, and 68% are exploring AI-powered defenses, though enthusiasm has cooled from 87% last year. More than half (59%) restrict employee use of GenAI tools altogether.
CISOs continue to face mounting pressure in the face of rising threats and limited resources: 66% report facing excessive expectations, and 63% say they have experienced or witnessed burnout within the past year. While 65% now say their organizations have taken steps to protect them from personal liability, one-third still feel they lack the resources to meet their cybersecurity goals.
“Artificial intelligence has moved from concept to core, transforming how both defenders and adversaries operate,” stated Ryan Kalember, chief strategy officer at Proofpoint. “CISOs now face a dual responsibility: harnessing AI to strengthen their security posture while ensuring its ethical and responsible use. This balancing act places them at the centre of strategic decision-making. But AI is just one of many forces reshaping the CISO role. As threats intensify and environments grow more complex, organizations are reevaluating what cybersecurity leadership really looks like in today’s enterprise.”
The 2025 Voice of the CISO paints a complex picture: security leaders are more knowledgeable and more visible than ever, yet they’re also more vulnerable – to attacks, to burnout, and to potentially unreasonable expectations.
“The challenge now is converting organizational confidence into true resilience,” Kalember concluded. “That means smarter technology, yes, but also stronger governance, greater investment in people, and meaningful board engagement. As the threat landscape evolves, so too must our approach to protecting what matters most: our people and our data.”