Our recent Weekly IT Webinar highlighted a pressing issue for the industry: In 2026, European cybersecurity faced critical infrastructure vulnerabilities. Incidents involving digital intrusions, such as the ransomware attack on Foxconn and the breach of the Canvas educational platform, resulted in the exposure of nearly 8 terabytes of data, affecting approximately 275 million users globally.

The integration of advanced AI into cyberattacks has escalated concerns. As a primary measure, the European Commission secured tailored access to OpenAI's security models, which deploy algorithms to identify gaps before exploitation. The main goal is to accelerate fault detection through testing, ensuring uniformity. On top of that, encryption and automated response mechanisms now offer an additional layer of integrity.

This combative environment is reshaping Cybersecurity and corporate procurement: businesses are prioritising data protection over traditional architectures, leading to an 18% YTD growth in Identity and Access Management, along with a 13% increase for Data Security. In contrast, usual segments are gradually declining, as evidenced by a drop in Network Security.

Managed Service Providers (MSPs) have further solidified their dominance, maintaining a 17% YoY expansion. This trend is particularly evident in Europe’s big five, with Italy experiencing a 67% increase and Germany following with a notable 39% rise in 2026.

The reliance on specialised external partners indicates a bigger change in organisational strategy. As companies recognise that navigating this landscape requires expertise beyond internal teams, they are turning to dedicated services. An evolution that is essential for maintaining resilience in the face of AI-augmented risks.

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