Quick Facts
- 31% of CEOs now cite cybersecurity as a major threat, up from 24% last year
- Only 20% of CEOs globally report high exposure to tariff risks over the next 12 months
- 80% of retailers experienced cyberattacks in the past year according to VikingCloud survey
Business leaders now view cybersecurity as a bigger threat than tariffs or geopolitical instabilities, according to multiple 2026 surveys from major research firms.
The PwC Global CEO Survey found 31% of chief executives cite cyber risk as a major threat. This marks a sharp increase from 24% last year and 21% two years ago.
By comparison, only 20% of CEOs globally report high exposure to tariff risks over the next 12 months. Among US CEOs, 22% report high tariff exposure.
The gap widens when examining strategic priorities. Sixty percent of business and tech leaders rank cyber risk investment in their top three strategic priorities in response to geopolitical volatility.
Retail Sector Hit Hard
The retail sector faces particular cybersecurity pressure. VikingCloud’s Retail Cyber Threat Survey found 80% of retailers experienced cyberattacks in the past year. More than half reported increased vulnerability.
The threat landscape continues expanding. Over 7.5 million cyber incidents were recorded in 2025, up significantly from the prior year. Ransomware-related attacks drove over half of all global cyberattacks.
Economic Pressures Fuel Cyber Risks
Economic uncertainty and tariff disputes may actually increase cybersecurity threats. Col. Cedric Leighton, CNN Military Analyst, warned that tariffs imposed by the Trump Administration are viewed as acts of war by some nations.
Matt Pearl, director of the Strategic Technologies Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, expects the digital threat landscape to become more dangerous if companies reduce cybersecurity spending during economic downturns.
Morgan Stanley analyst Keith Weiss noted that cybersecurity firms could be insulated from tariff impacts. “Growing attack surface area matched with a rising threat environment should sustain cyber demand,” he stated in a recent investment note.
Business Response
Companies are responding to the heightened cyber risk. Eighty-four percent of CEOs plan to strengthen enterprise-wide cybersecurity as part of their geopolitical risk response.
Sixty-four percent of organizations now account for geopolitically motivated cyberattacks in their risk mitigation strategies, including disruption of critical infrastructure and espionage.
The surveys reveal a clear shift in business priorities. While tariff exposure remains a regional concern, cybersecurity threats are viewed as universal and immediate across all sectors.
