SANS Institute Launches AI Security Benchmark Survey to Standardize Enterprise Defenses — THE SANS INSTITUTE, LLC

Event summary

SANS Institute launched a 10-question survey on July 20, 2026 to benchmark AI security practices across enterprises.
The survey focuses on which AI assets organizations treat as attack surfaces and how they protect them.
Created by SANS Faculty Fellow Lenny Zeltser and Cyber Defense Matrix author Sounil Yu, the survey complements their AI Defense Matrix framework.
Responses will be anonymized and published as aggregate findings for peer comparison.

The big picture

As enterprises struggle with fragmented AI security approaches, SANS Institute's survey aims to create industry-wide benchmarks. The initiative comes amid growing confusion over vendor claims and lack of standardized practices in protecting AI systems. By mapping real-world defenses against their AI Defense Matrix framework, the survey could help establish common ground for security leaders navigating this rapidly evolving landscape.

What we're watching

Benchmark Adoption: Whether enterprises will participate in sufficient numbers to create meaningful peer comparisons.
Framework Refinement: How survey results will shape the next revision of the AI Defense Matrix.
Vendor Alignment: The pace at which security vendors will map their solutions to the AI Defense Matrix grid.