Springbrook Software 2026 Cybersecurity Survey: Local Governments Abandoning Aging Legacy Systems for Cloud Security at Record Pace
AMERICAN FORK, Utah, Feb. 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Springbrook Software, a leading provider of finance and administration software for local government, today released its 2026 Cybersecurity Survey: A Two-Year Analysis of Cyber Readiness in Local Government. The report reveals a decisive shift in the public sector: as software infrastructure ages and "legacy systems remain entrenched," local governments are aggressively migrating to the cloud to fortify their cybersecurity posture against escalating threats.
Based on data from nearly 350 local government professionals, the two-year analysis identifies a critical tipping point. While agencies grapple with aging ERP platforms—nearly one-third of which effectively lack the confidence of their users—they are responding by dismantling on-premises infrastructure in favor of cloud-native environments that offer automated patching and AI-enhanced security.
"Local governments are modernizing, but the pace is uneven. With agencies now the top target for bad actors, the drive to the cloud is no longer just about efficiency—it is a security imperative. We built the Cirrus platform to provide the cloud-native protection and operational resilience that are essential for today's local governments," says Chris Dinkler, CEO Springbrook Software.
Key Findings from the 2026 Report:
- The End of the On-Premises Era: The survey recorded a massive drop in on-premises hosting, falling from 86% in 2024 to just 13% in 2025. This dramatic shift signals that local governments are prioritizing the security and operational efficiency of SaaS (Software as a Service) models over maintaining aging physical servers.
- The "Trust Gap" in Aging Software: The report notes that modernization is critical because confidence in legacy platforms is eroding. Currently, 33% of respondents either distrust their existing finance platform or are unsure of its security reliability. This lack of trust highlights the urgent need for the stability offered by modern cloud solutions.
- Fragmentation Persists: Despite the move to the cloud, 54% of agencies still rely on multiple, disjointed systems, and 13% rely on internally developed software. This fragmentation continues to expand the attack surface, even as hosting environments modernize.
- Critical Gaps in Training and Zero Trust: While cloud adoption is accelerating, human-centric security behaviors are lagging. The survey found a concerning drop in routine cybersecurity training, falling from 99% in 2024 to 72% in 2025. Additionally, nearly half (45%) of agencies either lack a Zero Trust policy or are unaware if one exists, leaving a significant vulnerability in their defense architecture.
- Access the full 2026 Cybersecurity Survey here.
About Springbrook Software: Springbrook Software is the country's leading enterprise class loud-native finance and administration ERP, trusted by over 3,000 local government agencies. Our full-featured, fully integrated platform leverages AI-driven workflows to create efficiencies and unify all departments under a single, secure ecosystem. Designed to grow with your community, our scalable solutions power the "Smart Community," ensuring that mission-critical operations are delivered safely and effectively.
Join Springbrook Software, Summit Security Group and DarwinAI for an analysis of this critical data: February 26, 2026: 11:00 AM PT. WEBINAR REGISTRATION HERE
Media Contact: Steve Lundin for Springbrook Software: [email protected]
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SOURCE Springbrook Software
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