Privacy Experts Face Key Challenges in Maintaining User Data Integrity, According to ISACA Report

In a recent survey conducted by ISACA, several key trends and insights regarding privacy practices in organisations were revealed. Here are some of the most significant findings:

A majority of respondents (68%) believe that it is mandatory to address privacy with documented policies and procedures. This underscores the importance of having clear and well-defined privacy protocols in place.
The survey also found that 67% of respondents practice privacy by design, integrating privacy into the entire engineering process. This approach is crucial for ensuring that privacy considerations are baked into the development of products and services from the outset.
The report indicates that the role of privacy professionals has become more stressful over the past five years. Sixty-three percent of respondents say their role is more stressful now, with 34% indicating it is significantly more stressful. Rapid evolution of technology, compliance challenges, and resource shortages are cited as the main causes of stress.
Eighty-two percent of respondents use a framework or law/regulation to manage privacy. This demonstrates a commitment to adhering to established privacy guidelines and standards.
Enterprises that always practice privacy by design are more likely to have high confidence in their privacy teams (68% versus 41% total). This suggests that a proactive approach to privacy can lead to greater trust and assurance within an organisation.
Seventy-four percent of respondents report that their privacy strategy is aligned with organisational objectives. This alignment is essential for ensuring that privacy considerations are integrated into the overall strategic direction of the organisation.
Fewer privacy teams are reported to be understaffed in 2025 compared to 2024. Understaffing was reported at 38% for legal/compliance roles and 54% for technical privacy roles. However, 73% of privacy professionals find it difficult to hire expert-level privacy professionals, indicating a potential ongoing challenge in this area.
Only 44% of privacy professionals are confident that their organisation's privacy team can ensure data privacy and achieve compliance with new privacy laws and regulations. This could suggest a need for increased investment and resources in the privacy function.
Sixty-one percent of privacy professionals cite compliance challenges as a main cause of stress, while 59% cite resource shortages as a main cause of stress. These findings highlight the need for organisations to address these issues in order to support their privacy teams.
The median privacy staff size has slightly decreased from nine to eight this year. Despite this decrease, the use of AI for privacy-related tasks has increased, with 11% of respondents using AI this year compared to 8% last year. The use of AI is higher among enterprises that regularly practice privacy by design (18%) and among enterprises with boards that view privacy ethically or as a competitive advantage (14%).
Over half (57%) of respondents believe that the board of directors has adequately prioritized their organisation's privacy. This is a positive sign that privacy is being recognised as a critical aspect of organisational success.
Twenty-nine percent of respondents believe it is unlikely they will experience a material privacy breach in the next 12 months. However, 48% of privacy professionals expect a budget decrease in the next year, which could potentially impact an organisation's ability to maintain and improve its privacy practices.
It should be noted that there are no publicly available sources that identify which companies in Germany planned budget cuts for their data protection departments in 2022, or how to find such information from public sources.

In conclusion, the ISACA's State of Privacy 2025 survey report provides valuable insights into the current state of privacy practices in organisations. The findings highlight both areas of strength and areas for improvement, and serve as a useful resource for organisations looking to enhance their privacy practices and support their privacy teams.

Privacy Experts Face Key Challenges in Maintaining User Data Integrity, According to ISACA Report