Data breach cost 2026 averaged $4.99 million, AI attacks ran higher

IBM's 2026 Cost of a Data Breach report found the average data breach cost reached $4.99 million, with AI-driven attacks costing roughly $1 million more than non-AI malicious breaches. Over a quarter of breached organizations reported AI-powered attacks, while half deployed AI agents in security operations centers for threat hunting, automated response, and containment.

More than one in four organizations hit by a malicious attack over the past year say AI drove it. Those breaches averaged about $1 million above the malicious attacks that ran without AI. Defenders bought similar technology and aimed it somewhere else. Half of breached organizations put AI agents inside a security operations center, mostly on threat hunting, automated response and containment. Among that group, 18% aimed agents at vulnerability scanning and management, the work … More https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2026/07/30/ibm-cost-of-a-data-breach-2026/ The post Data breach cost 2026 averaged $4.99 million, AI attacks ran higher https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2026/07/30/ibm-cost-of-a-data-breach-2026/ appeared first on Help Net Security https://www.helpnetsecurity.com .