In the world of ITSM, change is not a possibility: it’s an obligation and a certainty. Rapidly evolving technologies, transforming operational models, and ever-increasing stakeholder expectations: 2026 is shaping up to be a year in which digital acceleration will reach new peaks.
New peaks mean new opportunities. But behind every opportunity are risks that are becoming increasingly complex and multifaceted that must be kept under control with the utmost attention.
It’s precisely this coexistence between potential and threats that makes analyzing ITSM risks 2026 an essential step for those who want to remain competitive.
In this article, we don’t aim to offer an exhaustive list of all possible dangers. That would be impossible and perhaps not even useful.
Instead, we focus on the five ITSM risks for 2026 that we believe deserve priority attention.
For each, we’ll analyze the potential impact and provide concrete insights to anticipate and manage emerging criticalities, transforming them, where possible, into strategic levers.
1. Cybersecurity: En Evolving Threat
The first and most obvious of ITSM risks 2026 is related to cybersecurity. It’s not just about the growing quantity of attacks, but their sophistication. The boundary between IT service management and security management is increasingly thin: certainly, one side cannot exist without the other.
To put it another way: simple collaboration between IT teams and security teams is no longer enough: what’s needed is true convergence, starting from a shared strategic vision and extending to daily operational orchestration. Adopting consolidated frameworks like NIST and ISO/IEC 27001 represents an essential starting point, but not sufficient.
It’s crucial to equip yourself with tools capable of detecting, analyzing, and responding to threats in real-time. EV Observe, for example, can offer continuous monitoring of vulnerabilities in complex and dynamic environments, identifying risks.
The ultimate goal, in fact, is not only to react more quickly to incidents, but to anticipate them, recognizing weak signals and anomalous patterns that may precede a breach. Only with this proactive approach does cybersecurity truly become an integral part of modern ITSM.
2. Automation and AI: When the Risk is Misconfiguration
AI is a decisive lever for the future of ITSM; we’ve all realized this, and not just yesterday. Its adoption is rapidly extending to all levels of IT infrastructure, and this trend will only expand further in the immediate future. From ticket management to incident prediction, to intelligent workflow automation, applications are multiple and becoming more sophisticated every day.
But beware: enthusiasm for AI must not lose sight of the concrete risks related to hasty implementation or implementation without adequate supervision. That’s why among the most slippery ITSM risks in 2026 are cases of misconfigured AI. It’s not “just” about inefficiencies; the consequences can be much more serious. Algorithms making wrong decisions, automation blocking critical processes, systems acting unpredictably: this isn’t a dystopian future, but a concrete possibility in the absence of governance, monitoring, and regular reviews.
The adoption of artificial intelligence in ITSM must therefore be accompanied by a strategic vision, transparent policies, a continuous cycle of learning and model improvement, and ongoing team training.
Only in this way will it be possible to fully exploit AI’s potential while maintaining control over increasingly automated and complex processes. In short, it remains (and all the more so) a matter of people and training: an aspect we’ll return to in the concluding point of this list.
3. CMDB: Hidden Gaps That Generate Chaos
A CMDB (Configuration Management Database) is a centralized database that collects and organizes all information related to IT assets and the relationships between them. It’s therefore a fundamental tool for understanding, managing, and controlling corporate IT infrastructure. Thanks to the CMDB, it’s possible to effectively support change management, problem management, and other key ITSM areas, improving the visibility, consistency, and quality of delivered services.
And here, behind the enormous opportunities, is the dangerous side. An incomplete or outdated CMDB is like a wrong road map: it wastes your time and resources and increases the possibility of errors during a whole series of very delicate processes.
In the near future, the increasing complexity of IT environments—between cloud, edge, and hybrid—will make the CMDB’s role even more critical. The risks? Increased difficulty incidents, slowed processes, and loss of visibility.
The solution? Equipping yourself with constantly updated ITSM tools capable of automatically detecting changes in assets and context, integrating everything into a holistic vision.
4. Fragility in Escalation Processes and Complex Incident Management
We continue our review of ITSM risks 2026 with a more specific point, at least in appearance.
In an increasingly distributed and multi-channel IT ecosystem, effective incident management is no longer limited to simply opening a ticket. When a problem involves multiple systems, multiple teams, or multiple external suppliers, timely escalation and correct attribution of responsibilities become a real challenge.
Already today, the inability to properly manage these complex processes will represent a critical risk for many organizations. Delays in identifying the cause, information silos, and ineffective escalations can lead to long downtimes and further damage.
The inability to manage incidents with efficiency and speed is not just a “technical disadvantage,” but a strategic factor that directly impacts multiple business dimensions. From reputation with customers to stakeholder trust, from employee satisfaction to operational continuity, every aspect of the enterprise depends—more than is often admitted—on the quality of IT response in critical moments.
It’s therefore essential to strengthen collaboration mechanisms between teams, equip yourself with tools that support end-to-end incident visibility—also through the use of shared dashboards and automated workflows—and define clear policies on roles and responsibilities.
In this context, integrated Incident Management solutions like those from EasyVista can make a difference, ensuring effective coordination even in the most complex contexts.
5. Skill Gap: The New Emergency
According to the EasyVista report “The State of SMB ITSM 2026,” one of the main limitations for SMBs is represented by the lack of skills in IT teams. It’s not just about technical hard skills, but also management capabilities, critical thinking, communication, and adaptability.
So far, we’ve mainly talked about technological risks: misconfigured AI, incomplete CMDBs, incidents, cybersecurity dangers. But at the center of every IT architecture—even the most sophisticated—there are always people: this must not be forgotten. Today, human capital remains the true critical asset of every IT organization. And the same will be true tomorrow.
The massive adoption of AI-driven technologies and the growing complexity of multicloud environments will make continuous skills updating indispensable. But beware: it’s not enough to train more experienced technicians. We need to build cross-functional and flexible teams, capable of collaborating, adapting to changes, sharing knowledge, and managing complexity with clarity.
The risk related to the skill gap is not only quantitative—that is, the lack of profiles—but qualitative.
So how do we address all this? By investing in continuous training, organizational culture, and valorizing the know-how of different teams. All while improving transparency and communication within the company.
Attention, this is a key point for companies of any size and sector!
Conclusions
Recognizing and addressing ITSM risks 2026 doesn’t just mean mitigating them: it means preparing yourself, adapting strategically, and transforming them into opportunities for evolution.
Cybersecurity, AI and automation supervision, accurate asset management through CMDB, development of internal skills, and ability to respond quickly to complex incidents: these are the main nodes to keep under control. But the real step goes even further: it’s the shift from a reactive to a proactive approach.
FAQ
What are the main ITSM risks for 2026? Advanced cybersecurity, poorly managed automation, CMDB gaps, fragility in escalation management, personnel skill gap.
Why is it important to monitor AI use in organizations? To avoid security risks, data loss, or wrong decisions generated by unvalidated or unauthorized models. AI is the future (and is already the present): but we must learn to manage it based on our own needs.
How do we address the lack of skills in the IT team? By constantly investing in training, soft skill development, and creating a continuous learning environment.
