CyberBay 2025 Report: Securing the Future Together

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6:54 AM on Thursday, September 25

The Associated Press

TAMPA BAY, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sep 25, 2025--

Cyber threats are escalating in scale and sophistication. Yet our defenses remain siloed, expensive, and out of reach for a wide range of organizations. The newly released 2025 CyberBay Report, based on insights from hundreds of IT and cybersecurity professionals, sounds the alarm and issues an urgent call to action for the private sector, educators, and cyber defenders to step forward and lead.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250925888837/en/

Download the 2025 CyberBay Report at https://cyberbay.org/survey/

As artificial intelligence accelerates digital integration, the risks to and both private- and public-sector organizations are intensifying. Small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), which serve as the backbone of the economy, are left with tools they can’t afford, talent they can’t find, and systems that can’t keep up.

A System Under Siege

The CyberBay Report found that:

80.1% report a shortage of skilled professionals
81.3% cite organizational gaps in policy, behavior, and security culture
74.5% say undergraduate curricula are missing essential job-ready content
80.2% say cybersecurity tools are too expensive
71.9% find tools fragmented and poorly integrated
62.9% say professional training programs fall short of evolving demands

The results provide a strategic blueprint for filling gaps in the cybersecurity ecosystem. To protect our infrastructure, economy, and future, we must shift from isolated fixes to system-level transformation.

1. Democratize Cybersecurity Solutions

Affordability and usability are no longer optional. We must build scalable, AI-augmented defenses that even the smallest organizations can deploy.

2. Prioritize Cyber Defense as a Business Imperative

The private sector must lead—not with gated solutions, but with open collaboration, public-private partnerships, and investment in real-world resilience.

3. Elevate Education as a Strategic Asset

Cybersecurity education must evolve from theory-heavy programs to hands-on, threat-ready training that begins early and mirrors real-world challenges. Certification bodies, continuing education platforms, and vocational pipelines must align with the pace of escalating risk.

4. Activate a Culture of Readiness

Cybersecurity requires both the right toolset and the right mindset. Every organization needs policies, leadership buy-in, and cultural norms that reinforce vigilance. Readiness must replace awareness as the new standard.

CyberBay: The Movement Begins in Tampa

CyberBay, the Tampa-based cybersecurity collaborative, is proactively addressing the issue. By unifying private, public, and government sectors, CyberBay is democratizing cyber defense, prioritizing readiness over awareness, and training the next generation to meet the moment.

The inaugural CyberBay 2025 Summit will bring this mission to life. From October 13–15 in Tampa, FL, cybersecurity leaders, educators, technologists, and public sector champions will gather to build the future of cyber defense.

View source version on businesswire.com:https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250925888837/en/

CONTACT: Media Contacts:

Jennifer Kleman

Cyber Florida

[email protected]

Christina Pandapas

Longview Strategies

[email protected]

KEYWORD: UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA FLORIDA

INDUSTRY KEYWORD: DATA MANAGEMENT SECURITY TECHNOLOGY TELECOMMUNICATIONS SOFTWARE NETWORKS

SOURCE: CyberBay

PUB: 09/25/2025 09:54 AM/DISC: 09/25/2025 09:53 AM