AI shifts cybersecurity priorities amid rising threats

More than a third of organisations changed their security strategies in the past year in response to artificial intelligence-driven threats, according to new research from Netwrix.

The company's 2025 Cybersecurity Trends Report suggests that AI is reshaping how businesses think about identity, data protection and IT investment. The survey covered 2,150 IT and security professionals in 121 countries.

Netwrix said 37% of respondents had adjusted their security approach because of AI-based attacks. Many of these organisations reported both higher attack volumes and faster attack cycles.

AI is also emerging as a distinct risk area. Around 30% of respondents said their business already uses AI and now treats these systems as critical assets that require security controls.

Regulators and auditors are starting to focus on AI systems. Netwrix said 29% of respondents now face audit demands for proof of data security and privacy in AI-based environments.

AI reshapes defences

The research found that organisations are also adopting AI in their security tools. Netwrix said 28% of respondents experienced improved detection and response after deploying cybersecurity tools that use AI.

Some organisations are using AI to handle routine work. About 20% reported that they had offloaded part of their IT or security workloads to AI-based systems.

AI adoption is moving up the IT agenda. Netwrix said nearly one-third of respondents, or 29%, ranked the use of AI-based security solutions among their top three planned actions for strengthening cybersecurity.

The shift appears stronger when compared with previous surveys. The share of respondents who placed implementation of AI-based tools in their top five IT priorities rose from 9% in 2023 to 26% in 2025. Netwrix said this represented an increase of 189% over two years.

Focus on identity

Identity-based attacks remain a central concern in the findings. Netwrix highlighted industry data that shows a continued reliance on compromised passwords by attackers.

"Microsoft reported that identity-based threats surged by 32% in the first half of 2025, with over 97% of those attacks relying on password compromise," said Grady Summers, CEO, Netwrix. "AI is amplifying the speed, scale, and sophistication of such attacks, but it's also helping defenders neutralize threats faster than ever before. In this AI arms race between attackers and defenders, the organizations that stay ahead will be those that can rapidly identify and eliminate identity and data risks using AI-powered solutions that help their teams move faster and with more precision."

The report links the rise of AI-enabled attacks with the long-standing issue of security staffing shortages. Many organisations face limited capacity in their internal teams as threat volumes grow.

"The long-standing challenge of understaffed security teams has become even more pressing as AI increases the efficiency and volume of cyberattacks," said Jeff Warren, Chief Product Officer at Netwrix. "At the same time, AI can also help close the talent gap. Already security solutions powered by AI are enabling security teams to identify and remediate threats, eliminating guesswork and manual effort."

Compliance and governance

The survey suggests that compliance practices are beginning to adjust to AI use cases. Nearly three in ten respondents reported new audit requirements around AI systems, including evidence of how organisations protect sensitive data.

These findings indicate a shift from viewing AI as an experimental technology. Many organisations now treat AI as a regulated environment that falls under existing data protection and privacy rules.

Netwrix said the convergence of identity and data security remains a core theme. Many organisations seek clearer visibility into where data resides, who can access it, and how access is governed across cloud, hybrid and AI-supported infrastructures.

The company said it now supports more than 13,000 customers worldwide, including close to a quarter of Fortune 500 firms. Many of these customers operate in hybrid and AI-driven environments.

Netwrix plans further regional and industry breakdowns of the survey data. The company said it would release more insight into how AI is changing security priorities in different sectors and geographies.