Ensuring Collaboration Security and Compliance in the Age of AI

Authors: Irwin Lazar, President and Principal Analyst As we move deeper into the era of generative AI (GenAI), the threat landscape against workplace collaboration and customer engagement applications and platforms is undergoing a seismic shift. Our Workplace Collaboration and Contact Center Security: 2026 global research study with 305 organizations confirms a critical hypothesis we have tracked for several years: Security and compliance are no longer just insurance policies; they are competitive differentiators. Our study shows that the percent of companies reporting attacks against collaboration platforms has increased by 306.7% since 2021, with an average time to detect and mitigate attacks measured in days, not hours. However, the narrative isn't solely about risk. Our data reveals a distinct correlation between proactive security postures and measurable business value. Companies that we define as the "Success Group"—those achieving above-average return on investment (ROI) and productivity gains for their investments in collaboration technologies and/or above-average improvements in customer satisfaction (CSAT) associated with investments in customer experience (CX) technologies—approach security differently. They do not view it as a gatekeeper to block innovation; they view it as the foundation that enables the safe and rapid deployment of high- value technologies like GenAI. This report outlines the current threat landscape, analyzes the behaviors of successful organizations, and provides actionable recommendations for IT leaders to secure their communications infrastructure while maximizing business value.

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Table of Contents

• Introduction
• The State of the Threat: Companies Increasingly Under Attack
• Five Approaches of Successful Organizations
  • Imperative #1: The CISO/CSO as a Strategic Partner
  • Imperative #2: A Structured, Comprehensive Security Plan
  • Imperative #3: Rigorous AI Compliance and Human Oversight
  • Imperative #4: Investment in Third-Party Security and Compliance Platforms
  • Imperative #5: Regular Auditing Cadence
• Conclusion and Recommendations
• Working With Metrigy