A new market intelligence study has revealed a significant performance divide among enterprise security programs, directly linked to the adoption of a specific cybersecurity framework. The research, conducted in 2026 and involving 128 enterprise security decision-makers, found that organizations implementing Continuous threat exposure management (CTEM) are dramatically outperforming their peers.
The study indicates that the gap in security outcomes is not primarily driven by budget or industry sector, but by the strategic decision to embrace the CTEM framework. This approach focuses on continuously identifying, prioritizing, and mitigating potential security vulnerabilities across an organization’s entire digital footprint.
Quantifying the Advantage
Organizations with active CTEM programs demonstrated a 50% improvement in attack surface visibility compared to those without such programs. Attack surface visibility refers to an organization’s ability to see and understand all its digital assets that could be targeted by cyber threats.
Furthermore, these organizations showed a 23 percentage point higher effectiveness in proactive risk reduction. This metric measures how well security teams can address vulnerabilities before they are exploited by malicious actors. The data suggests that a methodological shift toward continuous management is yielding tangible defensive benefits.
The Scale of the Divide
The research presents a concerning statistic: approximately 84% of security programs are currently falling behind due to a lack of CTEM adoption. This majority is not achieving the same level of operational insight or pre-emptive security hardening as the early-adopting minority.
This lag creates a two-tier landscape in enterprise cybersecurity. On one tier are organizations leveraging continuous assessment and remediation cycles. On the other are those relying on more traditional, periodic security assessment methods, which the study implies are insufficient against evolving modern threats.
Framework Over Funding
A key finding of the report is that financial investment alone does not determine success. The divide is described as having “nothing to do with budget size,” challenging the conventional wisdom that more spending automatically equates to better security. Instead, the strategic implementation of a process-oriented framework like CTEM appears to be a more critical factor for performance.
This insight could redirect executive focus from purely financial discussions to those concerning operational methodology and security lifecycle management. The implication for security leaders is that process innovation may offer greater returns than simple budget increases.
Looking Ahead
Based on the study’s results, industry observers anticipate increased pressure on security teams to evaluate and adopt continuous exposure management practices. As the performance metrics of CTEM adopters become more widely known, lagging organizations may face heightened scrutiny from boards and regulators demanding improved risk postures.
The next expected development is broader market education on CTEM principles and implementation roadmaps, potentially led by industry consortia or standards bodies. The clear correlation between the framework and improved security outcomes is likely to accelerate its movement from an emerging best practice to a common expectation for mature security programs worldwide.
Source: Market Intelligence Study, 2026
