Cybersecurity market growth is easier to understand when spending forecasts, breach statistics and vendor revenue are kept separate. They describe different parts of the market and cannot be added together. This page brings together dated primary-source benchmarks for readers researching the sector in 2026.
Cybersecurity spending: the headline benchmarks
| Measure | Figure | Period and source |
|---|---|---|
| Worldwide information-security spending | $193 billion | 2024 comparator in Gartner’s July 2025 release |
| Worldwide information-security spending forecast | $213 billion | 2025 forecast, published 29 July 2025 |
| Worldwide information-security spending forecast | $244 billion | 2026 forecast, published 5 February 2026 |
| Forecast growth at constant currency | 11.6% | Gartner’s February 2026 outlook |
The 2024 and 2025 figures come from Gartner’s July 2025 spending release. Its later February 2026 forecast abstract provides the $244 billion estimate and constant-currency growth rate.
These are dated forecast vintages. Do not calculate a growth rate between the two releases and present it as Gartner’s 11.6%: revisions and currency treatment can change the comparison. Information-security spending is also a specific research category, not a universal definition of every cybersecurity-related sale.
What the spending categories show
Gartner’s July 2025 release forecast approximately $105.9 billion for security software, $83.8 billion for security services and $23.3 billion for network security in 2025. The categories show why a single “cybersecurity market” headline can hide different buying decisions.
A software vendor, a managed service provider and a network-security supplier do not serve identical budgets. When sizing an opportunity, define the buyer, geography, delivery model and product boundary first. Then compare sources that use the same definition.
Breach costs are a different measure
IBM’s 2025 Cost of a Data Breach announcement reported a global average breach cost of $4.44 million and a US average of $10.22 million. These are study averages, not forecasts of the cost a particular business will face.
They should not be multiplied by a global company count to invent a market size. Loss estimates, security budgets and supplier revenues use different populations and accounting definitions. For a business case, describe the scenario and the uncertainty rather than applying a headline average mechanically.
Threat data helps explain priorities
Verizon’s 2026 Data Breach Investigations Report announcement says vulnerability exploitation was the entry point in 31% of breaches analysed. Its report methodology identifies the incident window as 1 November 2024 to 31 October 2025.
The publication year and incident year are different. Use the finding as evidence about the observed dataset, not proof that every organisation has the same exposure or that one product category will grow at an identical rate.
How to use cybersecurity growth statistics
- For market research: compare like-for-like definitions and label estimates, forecasts and reported results separately.
- For content: link to the primary publication, include the data period and retain the source’s units.
- For campaign planning: choose a specific buyer problem, supported by evidence, rather than repeating the largest market number available.
- For comparisons: distinguish nominal dollar growth from constant-currency growth and check whether historical figures were revised.
A useful research brief records the source title, release date, population, geography, metric definition and any limitations next to each number. That small discipline prevents a forecast from gradually turning into an asserted fact as it is copied between presentations and articles.
Frequently asked questions
How large is the cybersecurity market in 2026?
There is no single definition shared by all researchers. Gartner’s February 2026 information-security forecast is one clearly defined benchmark; broader market studies may include different products and services. Always name the source and scope.
Does rising spending mean every security company will grow?
No. Sector spending does not determine an individual company’s revenue. Product fit, competition, procurement cycles, distribution and customer retention still matter.
Are breach-cost figures a measure of security revenue?
No. They measure a different outcome and should remain separate from market spending estimates.
Conclusion
Cybersecurity research is most useful when the definitions are as visible as the figures. For companies publishing original findings or practical expertise, relevant editorial links can help readers discover the underlying evidence. Build the story around what the data supports and give publishers a source they can check.
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