89% of IT Leaders Fear AI-Powered Cyberattacks Will Cost Them Their Data
Cyber Security / Threat Detection | 5 min read
Object First, the ransomware-proof on-premises backup storage company, has released findings from its World Backup Day 2026 survey — painting a concerning picture of the gap between awareness and readiness in the face of AI-powered cyber threats. The headline finding: 89% of IT and cybersecurity leaders say AI-powered cyberattacks have made them more worried about the safety of their organisation's data. Yet despite that near-universal concern, implementation of the defences needed to withstand these attacks is lagging significantly behind the threat.
"Cyber leaders are worried about AI threats, but they're falling behind in their own defences. As AI supercharges cyber threats — enhancing the speed, sophistication, and scale of attacks — organisations need backup storage that's absolutely immutable as the last line of defence against critical data loss. If World Backup Day teaches us one lesson in 2026, it's that there's no substitute for being prepared."
— David Bennett, CEO, Object First
The Data: Concern High, Readiness Low
The survey findings reveal a consistent and troubling pattern across every dimension measured — awareness of the threat is high, but confidence in the ability to respond is not:
- • 89% say AI-powered cyberattacks have made them more concerned about data safety — but only 53% are very confident they can quickly recover from an AI-driven ransomware attack
- • 79% say AI-powered attacks gaining access to backups is their top concern — yet only 58% are using immutable backup storage across all their data
- • 73% identify increasing backup data security as their top-ranked defence — making it the most frequently cited priority response to AI threats
- • 62% believe AI makes it more likely that their organisation will need to pay a ransom to regain access to data after an attack
- • 52% say it is harder to keep up with cyberthreats now than it was five years ago
- • Only 58% have adopted Zero Trust principles — despite these being described as foundational to data protection
Why Backup Immutability Is the Critical Gap
The survey data makes the stakes clear: when an AI-powered ransomware attack occurs, an organisation's ability to recover its data quickly, safely, and effectively can determine its survival. If attackers can modify or erase backups, data recovery is not guaranteed — regardless of what other defences are in place. Object First's approach of Absolute Immutability ensures that no one — not even the most privileged administrator or a successful attacker — can modify or delete backup data. This approach aligns with Gartner's recommendation in its report "How to Prepare for Ransomware Attacks," which advises cybersecurity leaders to implement ransomware-resistant, immutable data backups to ensure rapid recovery capabilities for critical systems.
Zero Trust Data Resilience: The Full Framework
Object First advocates for a Zero Trust Data Resilience framework combining three elements: immutable backup storage (ensuring backups cannot be altered or deleted), least-privilege access (restricting who can touch backup systems and data), and strict network segmentation (isolating backup environments from the broader network). Together, these safeguards mean backups remain secure regardless of what other defences may be bypassed — providing the last line of defence that organisations need when AI-powered attacks succeed in penetrating other layers of their security stack.
Key Takeaways
- • Object First's World Backup Day 2026 survey finds 89% of IT leaders are more concerned about data safety due to AI-powered cyberattacks — but only 53% are very confident they can quickly recover from an AI-driven ransomware attack.
- • 79% say AI attacks gaining access to backups is their top concern — yet only 58% are using immutable backup storage across all their data, revealing a critical implementation gap in the most important line of defence.
- • 62% believe AI makes a ransom payment more likely after an attack; 52% say keeping up with threats is harder now than five years ago; only 58% have adopted Zero Trust principles as their data protection foundation.
- • Absolute Immutability — ensuring no administrator or attacker can modify or delete backup data — is positioned as the critical defence gap, consistent with Gartner's recommendation to implement ransomware-resistant immutable backups for rapid recovery.
- • Object First's Zero Trust Data Resilience framework combines immutable backup storage, least-privilege access, and strict network segmentation — ensuring backups remain secure regardless of what other defences an AI-powered attack may bypass.