Cyber professionals to spend more on threat intelligence in 2026

The survey of over 600 cyber security professionals found that organisations are also prioritising threat intelligence amid concerns about state-sponsored cyber attacks and the risks of serious disruption caused by cyber criminals.

Three quarters (76%) of organisations invest over £188,000 in threat intelligence per annum, with this figure set to increase in 2026. 68% of professionals use threat intelligence to enhance existing security tools, while 65% use insights from threat intelligence programmes to guide the purchasing of security tech.

Further data from the 2025 State of Threat Intelligence report shows that 58% of those organisations responding to the survey use knowledge of the threat landscape to help guide business risk assessment. Insight gained from proactively monitoring cyber threats is employed by 32% of companies in order to inform daily decision-making.

Barrier to entry 

Richard LaTulip, a field-based Chief Information Security Officer at Recorded Future, commented: “AI has lowered the barrier to entry for cyber criminals, enabling them to scale the speed, volume and frequency of attacks. This is occurring against a backdrop of increasingly sophisticated state-sponsored cyber threats and high-profile ransomware attacks that can disrupt businesses and markets for weeks and months.”

LaTulip added: “Organisations realise cyber threats are constantly shifting and want to be better informed about precisely what they’re up against. This is driving investment in threat intelligence, with cyber security evolving from a reactive and defensive approach towards a proactive and holistic strategy that better informs risk management and security.”

Improving threat detection

Over half (54%) of cyber security professionals reported that threat intelligence programmes help to improve threat detection and response times, while 50% noted improved security team efficiencies and 40% witnessed a reduction in the number of incidents. 37% found that they’re able to better prioritise security efforts.

LaTulip concluded: “Threat intelligence programmes are helping cyber security teams to avoid burnout. Rather than being overwhelmed by constant threats, professionals can prioritise the highest risks and concentrate on addressing them before they can become into full-blown attacks. Budget, time and resource can be better managed, while also improving the speed and effectiveness of incident response.”