Thales 2025 Global Cloud Security Study Reveals Organizations Struggle to Secure Expanding, AI-Driven Cloud Environments
Thales, a global leader in technology and cybersecurity, today released the findings of its2025 Cloud Security Studyconducted by S&P Global Market Intelligence 451 Research, revealing that AI-specific security has rapidly emerged as a top enterprise priority, ranking second only to cloud security. Over half (52%) of respondents said they are prioritizing AI security investments over other security needs, signaling a shift in how organizations are allocating budgets in response to the accelerated adoption of AI. This year's research captures perspectives on cloud security challenges from nearly 3,200 respondents in 20 countries across a variety of seniority levels.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250630070161/en/
©Thales
Cloud remains at the forefront of security considerations
Cloud is now an essential part of modern enterprise infrastructure, but many organizations are still building the skills and strategies needed to secure it effectively. The variability of controls across cloud providers, combined with the distinct mindset required for cloud security, continues to challenge security teams. This pressure is only increasing as AI initiatives drive more sensitive data into cloud environments, amplifying the need for robust, adaptable protections.
This year's Thales Cloud Security Study confirms that cloud security remains a top concern for enterprises worldwide. Nearly two-thirds (64%) of respondents ranked it among their top five security priorities, with 17% identifying it as their number one. Security for AI, a new addition to the list of spending priorities this year, ranked second overall, highlighting its growing importance. Despite sustained investment, cloud security remains a complex, persistent challenge that goes beyond technology to include staffing, operations, and the evolving threat landscape.
'The accelerating shift to cloud and AI is forcing enterprises to rethink how they manage risk at scale,' SebastienCano, Senior Vice President, Cyber Security Products at Thales, said. 'With over half of cloud data now classified as sensitive, and yet only a small fraction fully encrypted, it's clear that security strategies haven't kept pace with adoption. To remain resilient and competitive, organizations must embed strong data protection into the core of their digital infrastructure.'
The average number of public cloud providers per organization has risen to 2.1, with most also maintaining on-prem infrastructure. This growing complexity is driving security challenges with 55% of respondents reporting that cloud is harder to secure than on-prem, a 4-percentage-point increase from last year. As organizations expand through growth or M&A, they're also seeing a surge in SaaS usage, now averaging 85 applications per enterprise, complicating access control and data visibility.
This complexity extends to security operations, with many teams struggling to align policies across varied platforms. The study found that 61% of organizations use five or more tools for data discovery, monitoring, or classification, and 57% use five or more encryption key managers.
Attacks target cloud resources with human error remaining a top vulnerability
Cloud infrastructure is a prime target for attackers as organizations continue to struggle with securing increasingly complex environments. According to the 2025 Thales Cloud Security Study, four of the top five most targeted assets in reported attacks are cloud-based. The rise in access-based attacks, as reported by 68% of respondents, underscores growing concerns around stolen credentials and insufficient access controls. Meanwhile, 85% of organizations say at least 40% of their cloud data is sensitive, yet only 66% have implemented multifactor authentication (MFA), leaving critical data exposed. Compounding the issue, human error remains a major contributing factor in cloud security incidents, from misconfigurations to poor credential management.
' A rising number of respondents report challenges in securing their cloud assets, an issue that is further amplified by the demands of AI projects that often operate in the cloud and require access to large volumes of sensitive data ,' Eric Hanselman, Chief Analyst at S&P Global Market Intelligence 451 Research, said. ' Compounding this issue, four of the top five targeted assets in reported attacks are cloud-based. In this environment, strengthening cloud security and streamlining operations are essential steps toward enhancing overall security effectiveness and resilience .'
For more information, please download the full report and join our webinar hosted by Eric Hanselman, Chief Analyst at S&P Global Market Intelligence 451 Research .
About Thales
Thales (Euronext Paris: HO) is a global leader in advanced technologies for the Defence, Aerospace, and Cyber & Digital sectors. Its portfolio of innovative products and services addresses several major challenges: sovereignty, security, sustainability and inclusion.
The Group invests more than €4 billion per year in Research & Development in key areas, particularly for critical environments, such as Artificial Intelligence, cybersecurity, quantum and cloud technologies.
Thales has more than 83,000 employees in 68 countries. In 2024, the Group generated sales of €20.6 billion.
PLEASE VISIT
Thales Group
Cloud Protection & Licensing Solutions | Thales Group
Cybersecurity Solutions | Thales Group
View source version on businesswire.com:https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250630070161/en/
CONTACT: PRESSThales, Media Relations
Security & Cybersecurity
Marion Bonnet
+33 (0)6 60 38 48 92
[email protected]
KEYWORD: FRANCE EUROPE
INDUSTRY KEYWORD: APPS/APPLICATIONS TECHNOLOGY SECURITY BUSINESS PROFESSIONAL SERVICES INTERNET DATA ANALYTICS DATA MANAGEMENT ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
SOURCE: Thales
Copyright Business Wire 2025.
PUB: 06/30/2025 03:00 AM/DISC: 06/30/2025 03:00 AM
http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250630070161/en
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
29 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Juventus seal move for Jonathan David
After an extremely long period of contacts and negotiations, Juventus have completed their pursuit of former Lille forward and Canadian international Jonathan David, sealing their first signing of the 2025/26 season. Giovanni Albanese of La Gazzetta dello Sport reports that the Bianconeri have acquired the 25-year-old on a multi-year contract worth €6m per-season, with additional bonuses of €2m. Advertisement David has been the main topic of the transfer market thus far as the well-documented forward was available on a free transfer at the end of the season after deciding not to renew his contract with Lille, ending his five-year stay at the French giants. The clinical finisher had a stellar campaign, ending the season with a total of 25 goals and 12 assists in 49 games-played across all competitions, proving to be a pivotal asset up-top. Hence, the Canadian forward has attracted numerous suitors such as Inter, Napoli, Milan, PSG, Arsenal, Liverpool, Man United, Chelsea, Tottenham, and Bayern Munich. Despite the immense competition for David's signature, the Bianconeri managed to overcome the European giants in acquiring the 25-year-old forward's services, and are now prepared to let attacking pair Dusan Vlahovic and Arkadiusz Milik depart the club to make room in the attacking department. Julian Faustini Ι GIFN
Yahoo
33 minutes ago
- Yahoo
EU turns to private funding to boost quantum technology ambition
By Foo Yun Chee BRUSSELS (Reuters) -The European Union is seeking to attract private funding to help it take the lead in quantum technology by 2030, EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen said on Wednesday, as the bloc works to cut its reliance in the sector on the United States and China. Quantum technology will make processing significantly faster than conventional computing, has the potential to impact every part of the economy and could be worth trillions of dollars within the next decade, according to McKinsey. "We have to now focus more on private funding because we are very strong already in public funding," Virkkunen told a news conference as she announced the EU Quantum Strategy. The European Commission and EU countries have in the last five years provided more than 11 billion euros ($13 billion) in public funding to quantum technology. "Only 5% of the global private investments on quantum are now coming to Europe. So we will especially work on the private funding part in the coming months," Virkkunen said. The EU Quantum Strategy also envisages EU countries pooling their expertise and resources in research, quantum infrastructures and the ecosystem of start-ups and scale-ups as well as focusing on dual use of the technology in security and defence. Virkkunen said start-ups in particular should be helped. "European quantum startups, they are vulnerable to being bought by foreign entities or moving to areas with better funding and this is why it is crucial to act now," she said. She said the Commission will propose legislation called a Quantum Act next year to build on the strategy. ($1 = 0.8501 euros) Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
36 minutes ago
- Yahoo
EU unveils long-delayed 2040 climate target -- with wiggle room
The EU on Wednesday unveiled its long-delayed target for cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 2040, but with contested new flexibilities built in to win over the most sceptical member states. After months of tough negotiations, Brussels announced it would stick to the headline objective announced last year of cutting emissions by 90 percent by 2040, compared to 1990 levels. The proposal comes as much of Europe roasts in an early summer heatwave, which scientists say are becoming more intense, frequent and widespread due to human-induced climate change. The 2040 target -- which needs sign off from the European Union's member states and parliament -- is a key milestone towards the bloc's goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2050. Brussels says the EU has already cut climate-warming emissions by 37 percent relative to 1990 but its green agenda faces pushback with a rightward shift and rising climate scepticism in many European countries. EU climate chief Wopke Hoekstra acknowledged the "sensitive" debate, saying Brussels was keeping an "ambitious" goal while being "pragmatic and flexible on how to achieve it". To sway resistant capitals, the European Commission proposes that from 2036, the bloc's 27 countries can count carbon credits purchased to finance projects outside Europe, for up to three percent of their emission cuts. Climate campaigners are broadly opposed to the measure. Backed by scientific studies and the commission's own science advisers, they say factoring in international credits -- for things like tree-planting or renewable-energy projects -- risks undermining the EU's own efforts to shift away from fossil fuels. "While this is a step in the right direction, by sneaking in international offsets and leaning heavily on supposed future carbon removals, the European Commission has built loopholes into the heart of the proposal," WWF EU said. "Three percent is not insignificant," echoed Neil Makaroff, an expert at the climate-focused Strategic Perspectives think tank. "These are potentially considerable sums that will be spent abroad instead of financing the transition" in Europe. "But there's a political compromise to be found," said Makaroff -- stressing the importance of "delivering" on the headline target. - EU stands 'firm' - To reach the 2040 and 2050 objectives, Europe's industry and citizens will have to undertake major transformations including increased uptake of electric cars, the gradual phasing out of fossil fuels and making buildings more energy-efficient. "Today we show that we stand firmly by our commitment to decarbonise Europe's economy by 2050," EU chief Ursula von der Leyen said. EU environment ministers will discuss the objective at a meeting in mid-July, ahead of a vote expected on September 18. EU lawmakers also need to greenlight the target, which requires the support from the biggest group in parliament, the centre-right EPP. To win others over, Brussels also proposes to make it more financially attractive for companies that capture and store CO2. The commission's hope is that the 2040 objective will be approved before the UN climate conference (COP30) in November in the northern Brazilian city of Belem. But that gives little time for negotiations with sceptical nations, with whom Hoekstra has already spent months trying to build a compromise. For some states, including the Czech Republic, the 90-percent target is unrealistic. Meanwhile, others including Italy and Hungary worry about the burden of decarbonising heavy industry at a time when Europe is working to strengthen its industry in the face of fierce competition from the United States and China. - 'Not strain ourselves' - French President Emmanuel Macron wants guarantees for the decarbonisation of industry and support for nuclear energy, the largest source of power in France. But the commission can count on the support of other countries including Spain and Denmark, which took over the rotating EU presidency this week. And the three-percent "flexibility" -- which mirrors demands made in the new German government's coalition agreement -- should help keep the economic powerhouse on board. When it comes to Europe's international commitments, Macron has also stressed the bloc is only bound to present a midway target for 2035 at COP30 in Belem, and not the 2040 objective. "Let's not strain ourselves," Macron told reporters last week. "If we have (a 2040 target) for Belem, great, but if it takes longer, let's take the time." adc/raz/ec/giv
