Object First Survey: 89% of IT Leaders Fear AI-Powered Cyberattacks Will Cost Them Their Data

Object First, the ransomware-proof on-premises backup storage company, released the results of its new World Backup Day survey that examines how IT and cybersecurity leaders are dealing with AI-powered cyber threats.

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89% of respondents say AI-powered cyberattacks have made them more concerned about the safety of their organization’s data, and the top-ranked defense they’ve identified is increasing backup data security (73%). But implementation of solutions is falling behind, with only 58% using immutable backup storage across all their data. The result is that only 53% of respondents are very confident they can quickly recover from an AI-driven ransomware attack.

The rapidly evolving cyberthreat landscape continues to put pressure on IT and cybersecurity leaders, with 52% saying it’s harder to keep up with threats now than five years ago. And the focus increasingly is on the security of backup data, with 79% stating AI-powered attacks gaining access to backups is their top concern.

When an attack occurs, an organization’s ability to recover its data quickly, safely, and effectively can make or break its survival. If attackers can modify or erase backups, data recovery isn’t guaranteed. Backup storage with Absolute Immutability ensures no one—not even the most privileged admin or attacker—can modify or delete your backup data.

In the Gartner^® report “How to Prepare for Ransomware Attacks,”¹ the firm recommends that cybersecurity leaders implement ransomware-resistant, immutable data backups to ensure rapid recovery capabilities for critical systems.

Additional key findings from Object First’s World Backup Day survey:

• AI May Impact Ransomware Costs: 62% believe AI makes it more likely that their company will need to pay a ransom to regain access to its data after an attack.
• Zero Trust Is Not Yet Standard: Only 58% of respondents have adopted Zero Trust principles, which are the foundation for data protection. Implementing Zero Trust Data Resilience with immutable backup storage, least-privilege access, and strict network segmentation means backups will remain secure no matter what other defenses fail.
• Foundational Backup Practices Are Falling Short: Nearly 1 in 3 (31%) don’t fully follow the 3-2-1 backup rule (3 copies on 2 different media, 1 copy located offsite) despite it being a widely recognized best practice. ​This leaves organizations potentially exposed at a time when AI-powered ransomware attacks continue to increase.

“Cyber leaders are worried about AI threats, but they’re falling behind in their own defenses,” said David Bennett, CEO, Object First. “As AI supercharges cyber threats, enhancing the speed, sophistication and scale of attacks, organizations need backup storage that’s absolutely immutable as the last line of defense against critical data loss. If World Backup Day teaches us one lesson in 2026, it’s that there’s no substitute for being prepared.”