Security spending is growing — except for the typical CISO
Thu Sep 17 2026
Business Management
Finance
Research
Security Management
www.csoonline.com
Security budgets may be growing on paper, but for a majority of CISOs, the money isn’t moving in quite the same direction.
The budgets grew by 5% on average in 2026, up from 4% last year. But that average hides a much weaker picture: median budget growth remained at 0%. And while 64% of CISOs asked for an increase this cycle, only 45% received one, meaning 55% of CISOs saw their budgets either remain flat or get cut.
The findings come from the IANS and Artico Search 2026 Security Budget report, based on responses from over 500 security executives between April and August 2026.
Who gets to spend appears to depend heavily on the health and structure of the business. Companies that outperformed...