59% of IT leaders report AI-driven threats now outpace traditional breaches as cloud adoption reaches new heights

Our 2025 Infrastructure Modernisation Survey reveals critical gap between cloud adoption and security readiness as organisations struggle with optimisation:

 

• AI-powered threats have overtaken traditional data breaches as the primary cloud security concern for 59% of IT leaders
• Only 20% of organisations describe their cloud environments as “fully optimised” despite 88% having cloud projects underway
• Skills shortages persist with just 27% of organisations confident they have the right internal expertise to manage their cloud infrastructure

As cloud transformation efforts continue to accelerate across the UK, our new research has found rising security concerns are now top of mind for IT leaders. The rise in AI-enabled threats is driving this, with nearly two-thirds (59%) of IT leaders saying these threats have overtaken traditional data breaches becoming their primary cloud security challenge. Despite widespread cloud adoption, only 38% of organisations feel their cybersecurity response plans are robust enough to counter these sophisticated new threats.

The findings from Ekco’s 2025 Infrastructure Modernisation Survey reveal the scale of organisations’ cloud transformation efforts, examining the complexity involved and whether the projects have delivered on their intended objectives.

According to the report, 88% of organisations have either completed or are currently engaged in a cloud infrastructure project – up from 84% the previous year. Hybrid cloud has also become the dominant model, with 68% of organisations now deploying a mix of public, private cloud, and on-premises infrastructure.

Cloud maturity grows, but optimisation lags

While cloud adoption is widespread, optimisation still lags. 87% of organisations report that their projects have achieved “most” of their goals, but only one in five (20%) describe their environment as “fully optimised.” The result is a cloud estate that is functional but falling short of its full potential.

 

Visibility, security, and skills shortages undermining optimisation

The research also identified three persistent barriers that continue to limit effective cloud optimisation:

• A third (34%) of respondents report that their cloud security setup remains under-optimised. This leaves gaps in protection as threats become more sophisticated.
• More than half (54%) of IT leaders saying they lack complete visibility over their cloud spend. Without clear, granular cost tracking, it becomes impossible to measure ROI or optimise usage.
• Only 27% of organisations feel confident about having the right internal expertise needed to manage and expand their cloud projects. This can contribute to migration hesitancy and a feeling that it’s simply easier to continue using legacy systems.

AI-driven threats shifting cybersecurity priorities

As organisations expand their reliance on cloud solutions, security threats have become more sophisticated and harder to contain. According to the research, 85% of organisations currently have a cybersecurity response plan but only 38% feel confident it’s strong enough to counter modern AI-enabled threats.

In recent years, more organisations are turning to cybersecurity insurance as a core component of their strategy. Adoption has climbed steadily, increasing from 43% to 55% over the past year. The move reflects a maturing mindset where organisations are no longer treating security as a post-migration task, recognising security as a central pillar of their cloud strategy.

Commenting on the findings, Carla Mendy, COO at Ekco said: “Our latest research has shown that cloud modernisation is no longer just about moving infrastructure off-premises. That part is largely behind us. The organisations we surveyed have made real progress: 88% are actively working on cloud projects, and most are seeing success. But the bigger challenge now is what comes after migration. With less than a third feel their infrastructure is fully optimised, what this shows us is how cloud isn’t a one-off project, but an ongoing operating model. The next phase is about managing that complexity, building secure, cost-aware environments that evolve with the business, and bringing in the right help when internal teams hit limits.”

Ekco’s full report provides actionable insights for IT leaders looking to strengthen cloud operations, future-proof infrastructure, and integrate AI more securely and effectively.

To learn more about Ekco’s new whitepaper, please visit here: https://www.ek.co/resources/ekco-infrastructure-modernisation-survey-2025/