Overview

• The global average cost per data breach dropped 9% to $4.44 million in 2025, marking the first decrease since 2020
• US organizations experienced a 9% rise in breach costs to a record $10.22 million, driven by steeper regulatory fines and higher containment expenses
• Healthcare remained the most expensive sector with an average breach cost of $7.42 million and a 279-day identification and containment lifecycle
• Companies using AI and automation in security operations saved an average of $1.9 million per breach and shortened the breach lifecycle by about 80 days
• Thirteen percent of breaches involved AI models or applications, and nearly a third of those incidents led to operational disruptions