Over half of Irish employees believe there will be a 'catastrophic' cybersecurity incident this year

Eva Osborne

Over half (52 per cent) of Irish employees believe the State will suffer a catastrophic cybersecurity incident this year, according to a survey.

The research, carried out by IT and cybersecurity service provider Landmark Technologies, also revealed that 61 per cent believe Ireland is less prepared than other European countries to defend against cybersecurity threats.

The research was conducted in January 2026 and surveyed 1,000 employees in the State on their cybersecurity experiences and attitudes, as threats continue to escalate.

Artificial intelligence

The survey showed that artificial intelligence (AI) is emerging as the biggest source of anxiety for Irish workers.

87 per cent cite AI-powered phishing attacks that are harder to detect as a key challenge for the coming year, and the same proportion are worried about cybercriminals using AI to steal company data.

These were closely followed by fears about ransomware attacks (85 per cent), AI-generated deepfake scams targeting organisations (83 per cent), and personal data stored at work being leaked or stolen by cybercriminals (83 per cent).

Cyberattacks

The research finds that cyberattacks are becoming a routine part of working life for Irish businesses and employees.

In the past 12 months, 80 per cent of employees have personally experienced a cybersecurity incident or attack at work – with 43 per cent experiencing multiple attacks.

Looking ahead, half (50 per cent) believe their organisation will suffer a data breach in the next 12 months.

As anxieties grow, 61 per cent of employees believe staff will continue to be the biggest security risk in their organisation.

These concerns appear to be warranted, Landmark Technologies said, as one-in-eight (12 per cent) employees admit that they clicked on a malicious link or attachment but didn’t report it – whilst the same proportion said that their organisation had confidential data stolen.

Risks are evident at all levels, with 13 per cent of workers saying that a senior leader fell for a cyber or phishing scam in the last year, and 12 per cent saying that an employee stole confidential data when leaving the organisation.

Managing director of Landmark Technologies, Ken Kelleher, said: “Our research paints a very worrying picture. Irish workers are clearly fearful that a major cyber incident is not a question of if, but when.

"The fact that more than half expect a catastrophic event this year should be a wake-up call for all businesses and relevant stakeholders.

"It highlights the need for open dialogue between businesses and their employees on how to spot and deal with cybersecurity threats as evolving technologies, such as AI, become more widely adopted – and used by attackers as well as defenders.

"As we look ahead, it’s crucial that businesses strengthen their defences, improve employee awareness, and receive the highest levels of support so that they are better equipped to deal with increasingly sophisticated cyber threats.”