Irish businesses are growing increasingly aware of the rising risks – and ramifications – of a cyberattack impacting their operations. Not only this, but concerns are also escalating about Ireland’s cybersecurity capabilities on a national scale. In fact, according to Landmark and Censuswide’s new research, it has reached a point where the majority of workers in Ireland (52%) believe that the country will suffer a catastrophic cyber incident in 2026.

Threats are worsening and it’s becoming more difficult to keep pace with the rate of technological change. The sophistication of cyberattacks, bolstered by emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), has equipped cybercriminals with more avenues to strike. This means that individuals and businesses don’t know how, where, or when the next attempt to breach their defences will come from, which leaves them vulnerable and in the dark.

In addition, cybercrime has shifted to increasingly target human psychology, because cybercriminals know that breaking down a firewall can sometimes be a lot more complicated than convincing a person of a narrative that has been designed to play on their emotions or their humanity. This has shaken confidence in the ability to identify attack attempts and, indeed, Landmark’s research found that 61% of employees believe staff are the biggest cybersecurity risk to businesses.

Phishing success rates remain high because hackers use personalised methods that exploit trust and urgency. Convincing emails arrive in inboxes purporting to be from a person’s boss, bank, or even a friend or family member. Skilled attackers have the means to find out who is in someone’s circle and utilise this to gain trust, usually for financial gain.

The uncomfortable truth is that cybercriminals no longer hack systems first, they hack people. They know that the weakest link in the chain is often an over-burdened employee who might be more likely to click a link before thinking or believe a story without questioning it. Not only do attackers prey on distraction, but they also feed on silence. The recent study found that one-in-eight (12%) employees admit that, in the last 12 months, they clicked on a malicious link or attachment but didn’t report it. This is where the battle is being lost.

Compounding these challenges, Landmark’s research reveals that AI is emerging as a major source of anxiety for Irish workers. Some 87% of employees cite AI-powered phishing attacks that are harder to detect as a key challenge for the coming year. AI is a technology that is quickly evolving and changing – for both attackers and defenders. This begs the question: how can businesses defend themselves against a threat that can mutate to prey on individual weaknesses? This is where regular cybersecurity awareness training for employees comes in. Encouragingly, the survey found that 91% of office workers have received cybersecurity training within the past 12 months, with the average time being 3.5 months since the last training session. It’s crucial to prioritise up-to-date training across all levels of a business, while continually examining and strengthening the cyber defences that are in place.

Landmark’s new research suggests that cyberattacks are becoming a routine part of working life for Irish businesses and employees. In the past 12 months alone, 80% of employees have personally experienced a cybersecurity incident or attack at work, with 43% experiencing multiple attacks. Meanwhile, Irish workers are clearly fearful that a major cyber incident is not a question of if, but when. Some 81% believe cybersecurity is everyone’s responsibility and, with this, it needs to be a collective effort to ensure that businesses are better equipped to deal with increasingly sophisticated threats as we move through 2026.

To find out more about Landmark’s cybersecurity services, speak to our highly skilled technical or customer service teams. Call us on 01 569 1056 or email hello@landmark.ie.