Proofpoint’s 2025 Voice of the CISO Report Reveals Heightened AI Risk, Record CISO Burnout, and the Persistent People Problem in Cybersecurity

Proofpoint’s 2025 Voice of the CISO report, based on a survey of 1,600 CISOs across 16 countries, highlights rising anxiety and readiness gaps as 76% anticipate a material cyberattack in the next year while 58% feel unprepared; two-thirds report material data loss (often tied to departing employees), 66% would consider paying ransoms, and human error remains the top risk, as organizations pivot from restricting to governing GenAI use (64% prioritizing enablement, 67% setting guidelines, 68% exploring AI defenses) amid declining board alignment and mounting pressure on security leaders.