Report finds only 5% of organisations have full trust in their cybersecurity vendors – Intelligent CISO
Publish Date: 2026-04-01 10:03:00
Source Domain: www.intelligentciso.com
Using an unordered list, summarize the following article with between 4 and 8 key points.
Sophos has released findings from a global, vendor-agnostic study based on responses from 5,000 organisations across 17 countries, examining one of cybersecurity’s most urgent and overlooked necessities: trust.
The Cybersecurity Trust Reality 2026 Report reveals a critical challenge facing CISOs – that trust in cybersecurity vendors is fragile, difficult to measure and increasingly shaping risk posture at both operational and board levels. Trust has become a defining factor in cybersecurity decision-making, yet the research shows that nearly all organisations lack full confidence in their cybersecurity vendors.
Key findings:
95% of respondents said they do not have full trust in their cybersecurity vendors
79% struggle to assess the trustworthiness of new cybersecurity partners, while 62% find it challenging even for existing vendors
More than half (51%) report increased anxiety about the likelihood of a significant cyber incident as a direct result of lack of trust
For CISOs, trust gaps create operational friction, slower decision-making and higher vendor turnover. Trusted cybersecurity partners reduce risk and build more resilient organisations.
Ross McKerchar, CISO at Sophos, said: “Trust is not an abstract concept in cybersecurity, it’s a measurable risk factor. When organisations can’t independently verify a vendor’s security maturity, transparency and incident handling practices, that uncertainty flows directly into boardrooms and security strategies.”
CISOs prioritise transparency during incidents and consistent technical performance, while boards and senior leadership place greater weight on independent validation, certifications and analyst performance.
McKerchar added: “CISOs are being asked to prove trust, not assume it. Cybersecurity providers must do the same. Respondents to the survey cited a lack of accessible, sufficiently detailed information as the primary barrier to making confident trust assessments. Trust must be earned continuously through transparency, accountability, and independent validation.”
