The State of Human Risk 2026
From awareness to action in the age of human-centric threats
Key Points
- Human risk is the #1 cybersecurity challenge, with staggering financial exposure. Insider threats, credential misuse, and user-driven errors now account for most security incidents.
- A dangerous awareness-action gap persists. While nearly all organizations surveyed (96%) acknowledge incomplete protection and face compliance obstacles (91%), only 28% combine both regular security awareness training and continuous monitoring.
- AI threats are accelerating faster than defenses. Roughly two-in-three security leaders see AI-powered attacks as inevitable within 12 months (69%), yet only 40% report being fully prepared.
Human risk has firmly established itself as the defining cybersecurity challenge as demonstrated in the findings of our SOHR 2026 Report. Based on a survey of 2,500 IT security and IT decision makers across nine countries, we discovered that despite continued investment in technology stacks, breaches continue unabated, mostly due to human error. In fact, insider threats, credential misuse, and human missteps now account for most security incidents.
$13.1M average estimated cost per insider-driven incident, with organizations experiencing six such incidents per month — equating to $943.2M in annual exposure. Solving the challenge of human risk requires a dedicated approach to identifying, assessing, and mitigating these risks tailored to each user.
71% expect negative business impact from collaboration tool attacks in 2026 and 96% expect to see email security challenges throughout 2026, demonstrating the continued need for strong email and collaboration tool security.
80% are concerned about sensitive data leaks through generative AI tools and 60% are NOT fully prepared with specific strategies for AI-driven threats, demonstrating the continued need for organizations to implement their own AI-based platforms.
Human risk is one of our most complex problems, as it stems from social engineering, which is difficult to mitigate. Therefore, we conduct active training and propose tools to block, control, and monitor humans, including AI tools for pattern detection. - Security Leader, Financial Services
More Key Topics
In addition to the stats above, the report addresses key topics from cybersecurity professionals working tirelessly to protect their organizations.
Email & Collaboration
96% expect email security challenges in 2026, but the threat landscape has expanded: 53% report increased phishing volume, 48% see a rise in business email compromise, and 45% experience increased cyberattacks on collaboration tools—yet 38% still rely solely on native security controls.
Artificial Intelligence
55% of organizations now use AI for threat detection and real-time monitoring, up from 46% the previous year. Yet a 29-point gap persists between the 69% who see AI attacks as inevitable and the 40% who are fully prepared with specific strategies.
Governance & Compliance
91% of organizations face governance and compliance challenges, 59% lack confidence they can quickly locate communications data for regulatory requirements, and 36% still rely on manual monitoring processes—creating inevitable bottlenecks as data volumes surge.
Human Risk Management
Human Risk Management solutions aim to close the gap between awareness and action with integrated platforms coordinating people-focused initiatives, technology-focused controls, and governance frameworks. This shift recognizes that neither security awareness nor technology alone is enough—organizations need a unified human risk management platform that connects behavioral insights with technical controls.