Vanta Releases Trust Maturity Report: Benchmarking Security Programs Across 11,000+ Organizations
In an era of escalating cybersecurity threats and evolving compliance requirements, organizations are increasingly focused on strengthening their security programs. To provide actionable insights into this journey, Vanta, the first and only AI-powered trust management platform, has released its Trust Maturity Report. The report offers a data-driven analysis of how over 11,000 organizations are advancing their security maturity in alignment with the NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF). By categorizing companies into four distinct maturity tiers—Partial, Risk-Informed, Repeatable, and Adaptive—the report sheds light on the key drivers of security maturity, persistent challenges, and the transformative role of AI.
Mapping the Security Maturity Journey
The report identifies four stages of security maturity, each reflecting varying levels of sophistication in managing risks and implementing robust security practices:
- Partial: Organizations in the earliest stage of maturity, often relying on ad hoc or limited security processes.
- Risk-Informed: Teams that have begun formalizing risk management practices but apply them inconsistently.
- Repeatable: Companies with standardized, organization-wide security practices that are actively maintained.
- Adaptive: Highly mature organizations that continuously optimize and scale their security programs through automation, analytics, and cross-functional alignment.
As organizations progress through these tiers, the report highlights a clear correlation between higher maturity levels and improved risk management practices, resilience, and operational efficiency. Key findings reveal critical insights into what separates mature organizations from their less advanced counterparts.
Key Findings: Drivers of Security Maturity
Risk Assessments as a Turning Point
One of the most significant markers of maturity is the adoption of formal risk assessments. The report found that only 43% of Partial organizations conduct risk assessments, compared to 100% of Adaptive organizations. This underscores how external factors like compliance mandates and customer expectations often catalyze early-stage security efforts, while mature organizations embed risk assessments into their culture.
Incident Preparedness Signals Progress
Mature organizations excel in incident preparedness. For example:
- 92% of Repeatable and Adaptive companies monitor threats continuously with alerts.
- 100% of Repeatable organizations have business continuity plans in place.
- 85% of Repeatable companies run regular incident response drills, and 78% test their plans regularly.
In contrast, only 56% of Partial organizations have a basic incident response plan, and 12% lack any plan at all. These disparities highlight the importance of proactive planning and continuous testing in achieving higher maturity.
AI Adoption Drives Scale and Efficiency
AI plays a pivotal role in enabling mature organizations to operate more efficiently. The report reveals that 71% of Adaptive companies leverage AI to enhance speed, scale, and decision-making. These organizations use AI to streamline workflows, reduce rework, and align with frameworks like ISO 42001, demonstrating how advanced technologies can elevate security operations.
Trust as the Foundation of Maturity
Trust is not just a byproduct of mature security programs; it is a driving force behind their evolution. As organizations progress, they embed trust principles into their culture, secure leadership alignment, and integrate risk management into top-level decision-making.
For Partial organizations, security investments are primarily driven by compliance requirements and customer expectations. However, Adaptive organizations take a more strategic approach, prioritizing:
- Responding to customer/vendor demands (95%)
- Reducing security risks (93%)
- Meeting compliance requirements (90%)
- Scaling security operations (75%)
- Differentiating through security maturity (70%)
- Managing multiple frameworks (35%)
This shift reflects a broader focus on embedding trust across all aspects of the business.
Persistent Challenges Across Maturity Tiers
While budget constraints remain a universal challenge, the nature of obstacles evolves as organizations mature. The report highlights the following challenges for each tier:
- Partial: Budget and resources (48%)
- Risk-Informed: Budget and resources (66%)
- Repeatable: Budget and resources (67%), implementing automation or managing frameworks (27%)
- Adaptive: Budget and resources (35%), implementing automation at scale (20%), executive buy-in or internal alignment (15%), and keeping up with evolving threats (15%)
These findings illustrate that while financial limitations persist, mature organizations face more complex challenges, such as scaling automation, fostering cross-team collaboration, and staying ahead of emerging threats.
Strategic Insights from Vanta’s Leadership
Jadee Hanson, CISO at Vanta, emphasized the importance of deliberate, strategic investment in security maturity: “Security maturity doesn’t happen by accident—it’s driven by intentional investment in risk management, culture, and incremental improvements to people, processes, and technology. Our data shows that organizations embedding trust principles into everything they do mature faster, operate more resiliently, and are better prepared for today’s evolving risk landscape.”
Methodology
The Vanta Trust Maturity Report was compiled using aggregated, anonymized first-party data from over 11,000 organizations. Each company was categorized into one of the four maturity tiers based on criteria such as policy coverage, AI adoption, incident response planning, and risk assessments. By mapping these metrics to the NIST CSF, the report provides an objective benchmark for organizations to assess and advance their security programs.
A Blueprint for Advancing Security Maturity
The findings underscore that achieving security maturity is not a one-time milestone but an ongoing process requiring strategic investment, cross-functional collaboration, and a foundation of trust. While budget constraints remain a persistent hurdle, mature organizations demonstrate that embedding trust principles, leveraging AI, and prioritizing risk management can drive meaningful progress.
For organizations navigating the complexities of today’s risk landscape, the Trust Maturity Report serves as a valuable resource, offering actionable insights to benchmark performance, identify gaps, and chart a path toward greater resilience and operational excellence. By adopting a trust-first mindset and embracing innovative technologies like AI, businesses can build security programs that not only protect against current threats but also adapt to future challenges.
About Vanta
Vanta is the leading trust management platform that helps simplify and centralize security for organizations of all sizes. Over 11,000 companies including Atlassian, Duolingo, Icelandair, Ramp and Synthesia rely on Vanta to build, maintain and demonstrate their trust—all in a way that’s real-time and transparent. Founded in 2018, Vanta has customers in 58 countries with offices in Dublin, London, New York, San Francisco and Sydney.
