Gartner® The Cyber Defense Index: A Threat-Informed Signal for Cybersecurity Priorities
Explore a threat-informed approach to measuring cybersecurity effectiveness and understanding whether security investments are delivering the intended level of protection
As organizations face growing pressure to demonstrate the value of cybersecurity investments, leaders are seeking more meaningful ways to evaluate protection effectiveness, communicate risk, and prioritize resources. Traditional metrics often fail to provide a clear picture of how security programs perform against active threats, making it difficult to align investments with business outcomes.
In this research, Gartner introduces the Cyber Defense Index (CDI), a framework designed to help organizations assess delivered protection against real-world threats and better understand the relationship between cybersecurity investments, protection levels, and risk decisions. We believe the report provides valuable insight into threat-informed measurement, protection validation, and cybersecurity decision-making.
Access the report to gain a better understanding of Gartner perspective on measuring cyber defense effectiveness and the factors organizations may consider when evaluating protection outcomes.
Key Topics Explored in the Report:
- The concept of a Cyber Defense Index and its role in measuring protection effectiveness
- How threat-informed validation can help organizations assess security performance against active threats
- Approaches for aligning cybersecurity investments with protection objectives and business priorities
- The relationship between protection levels, risk decisions, and executive communication
- Considerations for developing meaningful cybersecurity metrics that support decision-making
Learn how Gartner approaches cyber defense measurement and explores ways organizations can better evaluate the effectiveness of their cybersecurity programs.
Gartner®, The Cyber Defense Index: A Threat-Informed Signal for Cybersecurity Priorities
By Lampis Alevizos and Paul Proctor, 23 February 2026
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Gartner Cyber Defense Index FAQs
The Gartner® Cyber Defense Index (CDI) is a topic explored in Gartner research that examines approaches to measuring cybersecurity protection effectiveness. The research discusses concepts related to evaluating protection outcomes and understanding how organizations assess cyber defense performance against relevant threats.
Organizations continue to face evolving cyber threats while balancing security investments, operational priorities, and business objectives. Measuring cyber defense effectiveness can help support conversations around protection outcomes, risk management, and cybersecurity decision-making.
Threat-informed cybersecurity is an approach that considers current threat activity, adversary behaviors, and attack techniques when evaluating security strategies and priorities. Many organizations use threat intelligence and related insights to help inform cybersecurity planning and decision-making.
Organizations may consider a variety of factors when assessing cybersecurity investments, including operational effectiveness, resilience, protection outcomes, and alignment with business priorities. Different approaches may be used to support investment decisions and cybersecurity program planning.
Cybersecurity metrics can help provide visibility into security performance and support communication between technical teams and business stakeholders. Organizations often use metrics and reporting to inform discussions around cybersecurity priorities, risk management, and resource allocation.