Article
4 min
Infographic: How Canadian Government Orgs Are Prioritizing Cybersecurity in 2026
Government organizations in Canada are increasing security investment while advancing zero-trust execution, security architecture modernization and AI-driven security governance.
Increasing Investment and Digital Expansion
Government now spends 22 percent of IT budgets on cybersecurity
(up from 14 percent three years ago, a 50 percent increase)
0%
Cite stronger zero-trust alignment as the top driver for security architecture modernization
0%
of government organizations report limited or broad AI/GenAI integration into business workflows
0%
Cite stronger zero-trust alignment as the top driver for security architecture modernization
Highest Attack Exposure Among Canadian Sectors
Government is the most attacked sector in Canada, averaging 293 cyberattacks in 2025
(national average: 232)
0%
of government organizations report suffering a data breach.
0%
of government organizations say ransomware is their top cyberattack concern.
Response and Recovery Lag National Averages
14.7 days
to respond to cyberincidents (national average: 10.9 days)
26.9 days
to recover (national average: 21.4 days)
Zero Trust Execution Gaps and Weaknesses
0%
cite identity and access management as the biggest zero-trust weakness.
0%
highlight gaps in visibility and analytics.
0%
report challenges with continuous authentication and authorization.
0%
identify weaknesses in risk management and policy enforcement.
Operationalizing Zero Trust for Security Modernization and AI Readiness
0%
cite stronger zero-trust alignment as a primary driver behind security architecture modernization initiatives.
0%
prioritize improved visibility and control over cloud traffic as a key focus area.
0%
are increasing spending on identity and access security for AI workloads.
0%
of government organizations are investing in model monitoring and assurance.
0%
are investing in AI‑related governance, risk, and compliance controls.
The 2026 CDW Canadian Cybersecurity Study
Navigating Ransomware, Modern Architectures and the Maturity Paradox
These findings are from the 2026 CDW Canadian Cybersecurity Study with data obtained through a Canada-wide, cross-province and cross-industry survey, independently conducted by IDC, of 700 IT security, risk and compliance professionals, with 101 in government.