Cyber threats are evolving, and security remains a top concern for IT leaders. That’s why Cybersecurity Awareness Month, launched in 2004, continues to play a vital role in educating businesses and individuals on best practices for safeguarding their data. Now in its 21st year, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) is continuing its “Secure Our World” initiative to drive positive security behaviors across industries.

For tech marketers, this presents a crucial opportunity: understanding the cybersecurity priorities keeping IT leaders up at night will help you craft more relevant messaging and solutions. Our latest research uncovers key security trends that can shape your marketing strategy this October.

What’s driving security investments?

CIOs are prioritizing cybersecurity

  • 38% of CIOs increased budgets in 2024, primarily to improve security.
  • 70% expect to be more involved in cybersecurity initiatives in the next 12 months.
  • 30% plan to dedicate more time to security management over the next two years.
  • For another year, security remains the #1 technology area CIOs want for new hires.

Tech marketer takeaway: If your solutions address security concerns, highlighting ROI and risk reduction will resonate strongly with decision-makers.

Cybersecurity investments are rising

Organizations are spending more on cybersecurity tools and services.

  • 68% of CIOs plan to boost spending on cybersecurity tools this year.
  • Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) and Security Service Edge (SSE) rank among the top three technologies being actively explored.
  • 64% of CIOs cite cybersecurity protection as their primary IT improvement area, rising to 70% for enterprise organizations.
  • Top five security technologies being researched:
    1. Behavior monitoring and analysis
    2. Zero Trust architecture
    3. Container security
    4. Cloud data protection
    5. DevSecOps tools

Tech marketer takeaway: Organizations are actively seeking security solutions. If your product aligns with these priorities, now is the time to demonstrate its value.

Cloud security is a growing focus

  • The top driver for cloud investments this year is improving security and governance.
  • Organizations are hiring security engineers and architects to strengthen cloud security.
  • 50% of IT decision-makers (ITDMs) plan to adopt cloud-based security in the next 12 months, with 25% ranking it as a top growth area.

Tech marketer takeaway: Cloud security messaging should highlight governance, compliance, and risk reduction.

Security Priorities for the coming year

Security leaders are focusing on:

  • Strengthening data protection for sensitive information
  • Upgrading IT and data security to enhance corporate resilience
  • Securing cloud data and systems
  • Improving security awareness through user training
  • Simplifying IT security infrastructure

To achieve these goals, organizations are actively researching AI-driven security tools, SOAR (Security Orchestration, Automation, and Response) solutions, and deception technology.

  • 59% of security decision-makers say they are more likely to consider a security solution that uses AI (up from 52% in 2023).
  • 67% of organizations have identified the root cause of security incidents over the past year, indicating a growing focus on threat intelligence.

Tech marketer takeaway: AI-powered security tools are gaining traction—highlighting AI capabilities in your messaging can enhance credibility and relevance.

Get the latest insights

Cybersecurity remains a top priority for CIOs and IT leaders, with budgets increasing and new threats emerging. If you’re marketing to security decision-makers, aligning your messaging with these priorities will keep your brand relevant.

For a deeper dive into cybersecurity trends, checkout Foundry’s new Security Priorities study, which explores security leaders’ evolving goals, technology investments, and challenges.