Veeam Survey: Cybersecurity Threats and AI Attacks Push Supplier Liability Into Focus For 2026

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Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

Boardrooms are increasingly focusing on partner accountability as cybersecurity threats move through supply chains. Ransomware is a worry, but according to a new Veeam survey, 88% of leaders consider partner and supplier security standards important in 2026. Half of those surveyed rate this as extremely important, while 38% view it as moderately important. This trend is increasing liability pressure on vendor management.

CYBERSECURITY THREATS LEAD THE 2026 RISK OUTLOOK

Veeam surveyed more than 250 senior IT and business leaders from the Americas, APJ, and EMEA. Nearly half (49%) list cybersecurity threats as the top disruptor for 2026. AI maturity and regulation follow at 22%, with talent shortages at 10% and cloud complexity and costs at 8%.

Veeam logo representing data resilience and protection against cybersecurity threats, ransomware, and AI-driven cyber risk.

Readiness levels vary. Twenty-nine percent feel least prepared for cyberattacks, while 27% are most concerned about mistakes with AI and automation. Sixty-six percent see AI-generated attacks as the main data security risk, with ransomware close behind at 50%. This shows a move toward faster, automated intrusion methods.

DATA VISIBILITY AND RECOVERY CONFIDENCE REMAIN LOW

Modern IT environments make oversight more difficult. As multi-cloud and SaaS use expand, leaders report diminished awareness of data locations. Forty-four percent observe a slight drop in data visibility, while 16% notice a significant decrease.

Confidence in data recovery remains low. Only 29% say they are very sure they could restore critical data after a zero-day attack, while 59% are only somewhat confident. Resilience during cloud outages is also limited, as 71% lack strong confidence in maintaining operations during a multi-day outage.

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SECURITY, RESILIENCE, AND SOVEREIGNTY

Security remains the top priority for 2026. Forty-five percent select strengthening cybersecurity as their main goal, with data resilience following at 24%. Budgets reflect this, as 54% expect to moderately or significantly increase spending on data protection.

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Regulatory demands also shape cloud strategy. Data sovereignty was ranked extremely important for 46% of leaders. Thirty percent rated it moderately important. These pressures tighten requirements on where data sits and how it moves.

ACCOUNTABILITY EXPANDS TO EXECUTIVES AND PARTNERS

Leaders want governance changes that reduce incident fallout. 72% support a ban on ransomware payments. Executive accountability also gained support. Forty-one percent said it would have a major impact. Thirty-one percent said it would have a moderate impact.

Supplier oversight has become central to managing risk. The survey’s findings on partner standards point to stricter audits and tougher contract terms. Many teams now recognize partner exposure as a main source of cybersecurity threats.

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Martin Hinton

Martin Hinton is the Executive Editor and Publisher of Cyber Insurance News and Information. With over three decades of journalism experience across six continents, his work encompasses investigative reporting, documentaries, and coverage of cultural, political, and business news. To learn more about his career, click on his name to visit his LinkedIn page.

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