Source: Help Net Security
Author: Anamarija Pogorelec
URL: https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2025/11/20/immersive-cyber-readiness-gap-report/
ONE SENTENCE SUMMARY:
Organizations overestimate cyber readiness due to focusing on participation metrics instead of capabilities, resulting in a gap between confidence and actual performance.
MAIN POINTS:
- Security leaders feel prepared, but performance data reveals missed steps in scenarios.
- Confidence increases without a corresponding rise in capability and effectiveness.
- Readiness programs focus more on activity than true capability development.
- Training often centers on outdated, familiar threats rather than current intrusion tactics.
- Many security teams remain at basic skill levels, hindering progress.
- Business roles often excluded from simulations lead to poor coordination during incidents.
- Training usually aligns with compliance, not actual attack behaviors.
- AI-related threats are not adequately addressed in training exercises.
- Boards receive metrics that mask true capability, leading to a false sense of security.
- Effective readiness requires practicing under pressure with relevant, challenging scenarios.
TAKEAWAYS:
- Focus on developing true capabilities rather than merely tracking training participation.
- Incorporate current threat scenarios and advanced skills into training programs.
- Ensure business roles are included in incident response practice.
- Align training with real-world attacker behaviors rather than just compliance.
- Shift readiness evaluations from activity metrics to performance metrics.