Only 1 in 3 Government Cybersecurity Programs Are Fully Funded, the 2026 Cybersecurity Readiness in Government Survey Reveals
Publish Date: 2026-05-27 13:58:00
Source Domain: www.manilatimes.net
417 federal, state, and local practitioners reveal where public-sector cybersecurity programs are succeeding and where they are falling short.
Bethesda, MD, May 27, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The 2026 Cybersecurity Readiness in Government Survey from SANS Institute finds that adequate cybersecurity funding is the exception across public-sector agencies, with resource and workforce gaps preventing most from reaching full operational maturity. 63% cite budget limitations as their primary obstacle, and security leaders make hard trade-offs on which risks to address.
Outdated infrastructure, disconnected systems, and slow procurement processes prevent full integration of existing security tools across government environments, leaving organizations with multiple independent security measures in place of a coordinated defense.
“Converting governance into working capability is where efforts stall,” said Ryan Nicholson, SANS Senior Instructor. “Funding shortfalls and workforce constraints are the specific pressure points keeping teams from closing that gap.”
The survey points to a consistent pattern: strategic planning is no longer the bottleneck. Security teams that have spent years building policy frameworks are running into execution capacity as the limiting factor, with budget pressure and staffing limitations determining how much of what is planned actually gets done.
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