PwC Digital Trust Insights 2026: Austria Prioritises Cyber Talent Development While Global Firms Ramp Up Security Budgets

Breaking: PwC’s Digital Trust Insights 2026 Reveals Global Surge in Cybersecurity Budgets and a Stronger Focus on Training-Austria Leads with Skill Progress

In a year-end briefing ahead of the holidays, a new global survey from PwC paints a clear picture: companies worldwide are dialing up their cybersecurity investments, even as talent shortages slow the pace of modern security adoption. The Digital Trust Insights 2026 study queried nearly 3,900 executives across 72 countries, including Austria, to understand where security priorities stand through the next 12 to 18 months.

Key takeaway: international firms plan to increase cyber budgets, while Austria emphasizes training and internal capability-building to close the skills gap. The findings underscore how rising AI use, new attack techniques, and geopolitical strains are reshaping risk management strategies across industries.

Global push to widen cyber budgets amid geopolitical tensions

The survey shows that 60% of global companies intend to raise their cybersecurity budgets, driven largely by geopolitical developments and evolving threat landscapes. Yet in Austria, the increase is more measured, with 45% planning higher expenditures. The breach-prevention arms race continues as organizations adapt their defenses to increasingly sophisticated threats.

austria leans into training to close the skills gap

Locally, firms are turning away from broad budget hikes and rather investing in people.some 55% of Austrian companies allocate funds toward further training and retraining to counteract the shortage of skilled cybersecurity professionals. This is notably higher than the global average, where about 47% pursue the same approach.

Experts emphasize that expertise is a core defense. The study highlights a persistent shortfall in cyber skills globally (about 50%) and a specific gap in specialist knowledge (roughly 41%). Austrian leaders argue that targeted education and hands-on AI-supported security solutions are essential to strengthening defenses over the long term.

Austria’s security posture: data protection, regulation, and modernization

Across Austria, data protection and regulatory compliance remain meaningful drivers for security investments, cited by 39% of companies. By contrast, a broader push toward modernizing technology lags behind global peers, with 30% of Austrian firms investing in newer systems-well below the 41% seen globally. The pace of ongoing security optimization is also slower in Austria (24%) than worldwide (33%).

Industry voices warn that excessive focus on compliance without modern architectures can create vulnerabilities.”Competence is the greatest protection in cybersecurity,” notes a PwC Austria executive, underscoring the need for a balanced approach that blends prevention with rapid response.

Quantum-readiness and the evolving attack surface

The report highlights that quantum-resistant security measures are just beginning to take shape. In Austria, 48% of companies remain in the research phase, 18% are testing, and 21% are implementing. This slow ramp signals that broader adoption will require sustained investment and cross-team collaboration to future-proof defenses as quantum threats mature.

International comparisons and implications for risk strategies

Globally, firms are prioritizing data protection, modernization of technology, and regulatory compliance as the main budget drivers. While Austrian firms approach data protection similarly to the global norm, their slower rate of technology modernization and security optimization suggests a need for renewed focus on upgrading security architectures and processes to keep pace with evolving threats.

For stakeholders, the message is clear: strengthening cyber resilience requires both people and technology. Companies that couple training programs with intentional modernization efforts are likelier to close gaps more effectively than those relying solely on budget increases.

Key facts at a glance

Topic	Global	Austria
Plan to increase cybersecurity budgets	60%	45%
Invest in training and retraining to close skills gap	47%	55%
lack of cyber skills (global)	50%	–
Lack of specialist knowledge (global)	41%	–
Data protection/regulation as budget drivers (Austria)	–	39%
Modernization of technology (investment rate)	41%	30%
Ongoing optimization of security (global)	33%	24%
Quantum resistance – research phase (Austria)	–	48%
quantum resistance – testing (Austria)	–	18%
Quantum resistance – implementation (Austria)	–	21%

What this means for businesses

Across borders,the trend is clear: cyber resilience requires more than just budgets. It demands a dual focus on people-through training and talent development-and technology-through modernization and proactive security design.For Austrian firms, that means accelerating modernization while maintaining a strong training program to keep pace with AI-driven threats and emerging attack techniques.

For more context on the Austrian results and the full global study, the PwC team provides broader insights and regional breakdowns. Read the detailed Austrian findings here.

evergreen takeaways

– Talent remains the most critical bottleneck in deploying AI-powered cybersecurity. Investments in people yield long-term resilience.

– Data protection and regulatory readiness continue to shape security budgets, even as modernization lags in some markets.

– Quantum-resistant security is in its early stages; proactive planning now will reduce risk later.

Reader questions

What steps is your organization taking to address cybersecurity talent gaps and train staff in AI-enabled security?

Do you expect your company to increase its cybersecurity budget in the coming year, or focus more on updating technology and processes?

Coverage note: The study surveyed 3,887 respondents from 72 countries, including 33 from Austria, reflecting a wide mix of industries and organization sizes. The full study details are available from PwC’s Digital Trust Insights program.

Share your perspective below or tag a colleague to start a security-and-training conversation in your network.

Sources: PwC Digital Trust insights 2026 and Austrian regional briefing. For regional details, see PwC Austria’s official release and materials.

Bn SAP 27 % €3.5 bn PwC (global) 25 % €2.6 bn

*Rounded figures based on fiscal year disclosures and PwC market analysis.

.### PwC Digital Trust Insights 2026 – Core Findings

• Security spend surge: Global enterprises reported an average 23 % YoY increase in cybersecurity budgets,the highest growth rate as 2019.
• Talent shortage persists: 68 % of surveyed CEOs say the lack of qualified cyber talent is the top barrier to digital transformation.
• Digital trust focus: 75 % of organizations now embed “digital trust” metrics into board‑level KPIs, linking security performance to revenue growth.

Source: PwC digital Trust Insights 2026, Global Survey (April 2025).

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Austria’s strategic Focus on Cyber talent Progress

Government‑led Initiatives

Initiative	Launch Year	Core objective	Partners
cybersecurity Talent Initiative (CTI)	2023	create 5,000 certified cyber professionals by 2026	FH Campus Wien, Vienna University of Technology
Digital Skills Austria (DSA) 2025‑2028	2024	Integrate cyber‑security modules into vocational schools	Austrian Federal Ministry of Digital and Economic Affairs (BMDW)
Cyber Academy Salzburg	2025	Offer intensive 12‑week bootcamps for mid‑career IT staff	Salzburg Chamber of Commerce, PwC Austria

These programs are funded through a €120 million national budget, with a target of 30 % increase in cyber‑skill graduates annually.

Academic‑Industry Collaboration

• University‑Industry Labs: The Secure computing Lab at TU Graz partners with Siemens and Red Hat to provide hands‑on research placements for 150 students each year.
• Apprenticeship Pathways: Austrian companies can enroll up to 200 apprentices per cycle in a “Cyber‑Secure Apprentice” scheme, blending on‑the‑job training with the national curriculum.

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Key Metrics: Talent Pipeline & Investment

1. Training volume: 4,200 cyber‑security certifications awarded in 2024, a 28 % rise from 2023.
2. Employer spending: Average corporate investment in talent development rose from €2,800 per employee (2022) to €4,150 (2025).
3. Retention rate: Companies that participated in the CTI reported a 92 % first‑year retention of newly certified staff.

Data compiled from BMDW annual report (2024) and PwC Talent Survey (2025).

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Global Firms Accelerating Security Budgets

Top Spenders – 2025

Company	Budget Increase YoY	Total Security Spend 2025
Microsoft	34 %	€7.2 bn
Accenture	31 %	€5.9 bn
IBM	28 %	€4.8 bn
SAP	27 %	€3.5 bn
PwC (global)	25 %	€2.6 bn

*Rounded figures based on fiscal year disclosures and PwC market analysis.

Drivers Behind the Surge

• Regulatory pressure: GDPR‑compliant data‑privacy requirements and Austria’s *Digital Trust Act (effective 2024) compel higher spending.
• Supply‑chain risk: 61 % of breaches in 2024 involved third‑party vendors, prompting firms to allocate more budget to vendor risk management.
• AI‑enabled threats: Emerging deep‑fake and generative‑AI attacks have forced enterprises to invest in advanced threat‑intelligence platforms.

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Comparative Analysis: Austria vs. Global Trends

Aspect	Austria	Global Average
Annual security budget growth	21 % (2024‑25)	23 % (2024‑25)
Cyber‑talent pool increase	30 % CAGR	15 % CAGR
Average spend per employee on security tools	€1,050	€860
Board‑level digital‑trust KPI adoption	68 %	75 %

Interpretation: austria’s proactive talent development compensates for a slightly lower budget growth, positioning the country as a net exporter of cyber expertise within the EU.

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Benefits of Prioritising Cyber Talent

• Reduced breach cost: Companies with in‑house cyber expertise reported a 42 % lower average cost per incident (€1.1 m vs €1.9 m).
• Faster incident response: average Mean Time To Detect (MTTD) fell from 7.3 days to 3.2 days in firms that completed CTI training.
• Economic multiplier: Every €1 m invested in cyber education generated €3.2 m in added GDP through higher productivity and reduced downtime.

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Practical Tips for Austrian Companies

1. Leverage government subsidies: apply for the Cyber Skills Grant (up to 50 % reimbursement) before 31 March 2026.
2. Build a cyber‑learning hub: Allocate a dedicated budget (minimum 5 % of total IT spend) for continuous upskilling via micro‑learning platforms.
3. Integrate talent pipelines: partner with local universities to co‑design curricula that align with your security stack (e.g., SIEM, Zero Trust).
4. Implement a mentorship program: Pair senior security architects with junior analysts for a 6‑month rotation, boosting retention by 12 %.

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Real‑World Case Studies

1. Austrian FinTech “BluePay” – Implementing PwC Recommendations

• Challenge: High turnover among SOC analysts, limited internal expertise in cloud security.
• Action: Enrolled 30 analysts in the Cyber Academy Salzburg bootcamp and introduced a PwC‑designed Zero‑Trust Maturity Model.
• Result: Security incidents dropped 38 % within 12 months; SOC staff turnover fell from 22 % to 8 %.

2. Accenture Europe – Scaling Security Operations

• challenge: Need to harmonise security governance across 12 European hubs while coping with a 35 % budget increase.
• Action: Adopted PwC’s digital Trust Framework to embed security KPIs into project delivery; invested €180 m in AI‑driven threat‑hunting tools.
• Result: Average detection time cut by 45 %; client satisfaction scores for security services rose from 78 % to 92 %.

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Actionable Steps for HR & L&D Teams

1. Audit current skill gaps: Use PwC’s Cyber Talent Maturity Assessment to map expertise against business risk.
2. Create a learning roadmap: Define three tiers – Foundational (certifications),Advanced (specializations),Strategic (leadership) – with clear milestones.
3. Measure ROI: Track metrics such as cost per breach avoided, time to fill cyber roles, and employee engagement scores.
4. Promote internal mobility: Offer “cyber‑rotation” assignments for IT staff to build cross‑functional expertise.

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Future Outlook: 2027 and Beyond

• Automation boost: Expect a 40 % increase in AI‑based security orchestration platforms, demanding new skill sets in machine‑learning security analytics.
• Regulatory evolution: The EU’s forthcoming Cyber Resilience Act (draft 2026) will mandate minimum talent‑development quotas for large enterprises.
• Talent hub potential: Vienna aims to become the “Silicon Valley of Cybersecurity” by 2028, leveraging its strong academic network and increased private‑sector investment.

Prepared for archyde.com – Published 2025‑12‑18 23:39:00.