What Security Leaders Are Prioritizing for 2026 and Why It Matters
First, I want to sincerely thank all of the CISOs, Chief Security Officers, and senior security leaders in for-profit and non-profit organizations who participated in the recent 2026 CISO/CSO Leadership survey. Our goal was 150 responses (interviews and surveys). We fell shy of that, but are thrilled to share our high-level results below, which included important topics that are a clear focus for leaders in 2026.
Your time, insight, and transparency are deeply appreciated.
For the past 13 years, I have been building ConsciouslySecure™ and implementing holistic security primarily within nonprofit environments. That is where the methodology has been most deeply tested and refined.
I have long wondered:
Can this approach translate into the for-profit world?
If so, to what extent?
And is it even needed?
Through my own leadership experience, I’ve seen human-centered security principles show up in corporate environments. Many leaders naturally lead this way. However, there are core aspects of holistic security as defined under ConsciouslySecure™ that may not fully translate into traditional for-profit structures.
This research was important to fully understand this.
What became clear through conversations and survey insights is something experienced security leaders already know:
There is no one-size-fits-all model for security. Every organization is different.
Risk profiles differ.
Threat landscapes differ.
Regulatory pressures differ.
Leadership culture differs.
Security must always be adapted accordingly.
With that grounding, what stood out most was not whether holistic security could “fit,” but how senior leaders in non-profits and for-profits are thinking about security as we head into 2026.
The focus is clear:
Managing ransomware, phishing and AI-enabled threats
Strengthening identity governance
Improving incident response readiness
Retaining and developing security talent
Aligning governance and compliance with business priorities
Optimizing existing tools rather than simply buying more
Security leaders are indeed centering people – their team, key stakeholders, and themselves. The focus on this was very clear, specifically in sectors of healthcare, academia/universities, and nonprofits. A human-led approach is central here.
The challenge of engaging high-level clinical practitioners, academic researchers working on confidential projects, or protecting those on the front lines of abuse or injustice are all top priorities in security.
These organizations are strengthening their security foundations.
I look forward to diving deeper into these themes and the holistic security results throughout the year, not only to continue researching holistic security across sectors, but to stay closely connected to what leaders are navigating in real time.
At the end of the day, security decisions impact all of us and understanding how leaders are preparing for 2026 is a conversation worth continuing.
To learn more about the specific security leadership insights (7 core areas and 34 sub-areas) click here.