Business Security Weekly (Audio) Forrester's Global Cybersecurity Market Forecast Before AI Fully Kicks In - Merritt Maxim - BSW #416
Oct 8, 2025
Merritt Maxim, VP and Research Director at Forrester, dives into the booming cybersecurity market forecast, predicting a striking $302.5 billion spend by 2029, with software dominating the budget. He discusses that 69% of this spending will focus on key areas like applications and identity. The conversation also explores the rising significance of AI in security, with a staggering 21.2% growth in AI software investments. Furthermore, Merritt highlights regional trends and the nuanced risks surrounding cybersecurity spending in today's landscape.
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Realistic Cybersecurity Market Growth
- Forrester forecasts a 14.4% CAGR for global cybersecurity spend from 2024–2029, reaching $302.5B by 2029.
- Merritt Maxim argues this is a realistic, conservative view compared with unsustainably high growth rates.
Endpoint Is Big But Maturing
- Endpoint security is a large but mature segment with slower growth because most companies already deployed solutions.
- Merritt Maxim notes evolving attack vectors mean endpoint alone won't reduce overall enterprise risk.
Budgets Must Be Evenly Spread
- Security budgets must be spread across apps, identity, data, endpoint, and network because no single control suffices.
- CISOs told Forrester budgets are thin and must cover a wider product/service range than years ago.
