July 2026

SANS Gov Readiness Survey

Government cybersecurity programs have come a long way. Today, most agencies have formal strategies, defined governance frameworks, and a clear understanding of cyber risk. According to the 2026 SANS Cybersecurity Readiness in Government Survey, the real challenge is execution. Cybersecurity is widely recognized as mission-critical, but many agencies still struggle to translate strategic plans into consistent, scalable operational capabilities.

Agencies have built policies, frameworks, and governance models needed to manage cyber risk. However, without sufficient funding, workforce capacity, and operational integration, those strategies fall short in practice. The result is a wide gap between what agencies are prepared to do and what they can actually deliver.

What You’ll Learn:

• Where government agencies stand on cybersecurity maturity
• Why do programs plateau before reaching optimized operations
• The impact of funding and workforce shortages on security performance
• Key operational challenges across detection, response, and compliance
• Practical focus areas for advancing cybersecurity readiness at scale

Download the full report to gain actionable insights into how government organizations can bridge the gap between cybersecurity strategy and execution to build more resilient, effective security operations.