Cybersecurity / Zero Trust

Where it stands

Each step compares the last four complete quarters with the two years before. A theme usually moves left to right: companies push, Congress and the White House act, the government buys, and markets respond.

1. 1. Companies pushing
   Steady

   513 companies and groups lobbied on it in Q2 2026, against 495 a year earlier.

2. 2. Congress
   Steady

   30 bills introduced and 0 became law in the last four quarters, against 37 and 0 a year before that.

3. 3. White House and agencies
   Falling

   2 proposed rules, 2 final rules and 1 presidential action in the last four quarters, against 18 a year before that.

4. 4. Government buying
   Falling

   154 purchase plans and award notices in the last four quarters, against 217 a year before that (records start October 2023).

5. 5. Markets
   Rising

   10 insider purchases in the theme's companies in the last four quarters, against 5 a year before that. Their stocks: +52% over the same year, against +14% for the S&P 500. Among the 50 largest holdings of the funds we track, these stocks were worth $44.0B at the end of Q1 2026, against $51.6B a year earlier; the figure moves with prices and with how many funds rank them that high.

The setup

The US government is rapidly implementing advanced cybersecurity measures, particularly focusing on Zero Trust architectures and AI-driven defenses. This initiative is driven by significant contract awards from agencies like the DoD and HHS, alongside high-level executive orders mandating enhanced security for both civilian and national security systems. The push began in early 2025 with broad IT support contracts and accelerated in late 2025 and 2026 with specific Zero Trust and AI-related directives.

How this developed

1. Jan 16, 2025DOE awards MAXIMUS FEDERAL SERVICES, INC. $47.4M for IT support services, including enterprise IT and cybersecurity.Federal contract
2. Jan 23, 2025DOE awards ACCENTURE FEDERAL SERVICES LLC $91.4M for NNSA OCIO IT operations, including cybersecurity support.Federal contract
3. Sep 5, 2025DoD awards KONIAG IT SYSTEMS, LLC $25M for specialized services supporting cybersecurity and the Zero Trust Portfolio Management Office.Federal contract
4. Sep 30, 2025HHS awards ELECTROSOFT SERVICES, LLC $18.9M for enterprise security tool and infrastructure management services.Federal contract
5. Jun 2, 2026Executive Order issued, promoting advanced AI innovation and security, directing agencies to prioritize cybersecurity hardening.Executive action
6. Jun 12, 2026Presidential Memorandum re-establishes the Committee on National Security Systems (CNSS) to enforce baseline cybersecurity standards.Executive action
7. Jul 1, 2026GSA awards GENERAL DYNAMICS INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, INC. $87.7M for enterprise network operations and cybersecurity support.Federal contract
8. Oct 15, 2026GSA awards SAIC $723M for software lifecycle engineering, aligning with cybersecurity and AI legislative tailwinds.Federal contract

The full story, year by year

* Year to date. Lobbying is the most companies and groups naming the theme in any one quarter. Insider buys are officer and director open-market purchases in CRWD, PANW, ZS, FTNT, S, TENB, OKTA, QLYS, RPD. Fund holdings are the value of these companies among the top 50 positions of the funds whose 13F filings we track, at the latest quarter of each year. Stock returns are an equal-weight basket of the same companies with prices on file, split-adjusted, without dividends, against the S&P 500 over the same quarters.

• Lobbying before 2025 comes from filings that name the theme; the full lobbying archive is still loading.
• Lobbying reports for Q3 2026 are still being filed, so the comparison uses Q2 2026.

Why it matters

• The DoD's $25M award (E4) specifically for a "Zero Trust Portfolio Management Office" indicates a direct, high-level commitment to implementing this advanced security model across defense systems.
• The Executive Order (E8) mandates cybersecurity hardening for national security, Department of War, and civilian government systems within 30 days, signaling an urgent, top-down directive for enhanced cyber defenses, particularly with AI integration.
• The Presidential Memorandum (E9) re-establishes the CNSS with binding authority and empowers the NSA Director to issue emergency directives, centralizing and strengthening cybersecurity enforcement for National Security Systems.
• Multiple large contracts, including SAIC's $723M GSA award (E14) and GDIT's $87.7M GSA award (E10), show significant budget allocation for enterprise-wide IT and cybersecurity services, reflecting broad implementation efforts beyond specific projects.

Companies exposed to this theme

The record · 8 items, oldest first

• Jan 16, 2025Federal contractMAXIMUS FEDERAL SERVICES, INC.: INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT SERVICES 2 (ITSS2): THE PURPOSE OF THE ITSS2 CONTRACT IS TO PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR IT OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE
• Jan 23, 2025Federal contractACCENTURE FEDERAL SERVICES LLC: THE NNSA OCIO IS IN NEED OF IT OPERATIONS TO INCLUDE: SERVICE OPERATIONS AND MANAGEMENT SERVICES, PATCH MANAGEMENT, HOSTING AND CLOUD SERVIC
• Sep 5, 2025Federal contractKONIAG IT SYSTEMS, LLC: SPECIALIZED SERVICES TO SUPPORT CYBERSECURITY AND THE ZERO TRUST PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT OFFICE FOR THE DEPUTY CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER.
• Sep 30, 2025Federal contractELECTROSOFT SERVICES, LLC: THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (HHS) HAS A NEED FOR ENTERPRISE SECURITY TOOL AND INFRASTRUCTURE MANAGEMENT (STIM) SERVICES. STI
• Jun 2, 2026Executive actionExecutive Order: Promoting Advanced Artificial Intelligence Innovation and Security
• Jun 12, 2026Executive actionPresidential Memorandum: National Security Presidential Memorandum/NSPM-12
• Jul 1, 2026Federal contractGENERAL DYNAMICS INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, INC.: ENTERPRISE NETWORK OPERATIONS AND CYBERSECURITY SUPPORT ENOCS
• Oct 15, 2026Federal contractSCIENCE APPLICATIONS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION: $723M General Services Administration Contract

Some keyword matches were judged unrelated to this theme and are excluded from the record above.

How this story evolved

• Oct 16, 2026, 5:13 AM ETreal113 recordslatest record Oct 13, 2026

  DoD and VA commit over $44M to Zero Trust architecture, while an Executive Order mandates AI-driven cybersecurity hardening.

  The US government is rapidly accelerating its adoption of Zero Trust cybersecurity principles and integrating AI into its defense strategies. This push is driven by significant contract awards from the Department of Defense and Veterans Affairs, alongside a Presidential Executive Order mandating enhanced cybersecurity measures across federal systems. The focus is on securing critical infrastructure and national security systems against evolving threats.

• Oct 15, 2026, 5:14 AM ETreal402 recordslatest record Oct 13, 2026

  Executive Orders mandate cybersecurity hardening and Zero Trust adoption across federal and national security systems.

  The US government is rapidly accelerating its adoption of advanced cybersecurity measures, particularly Zero Trust architectures and AI-powered defenses, driven by two significant executive orders in June 2026. This push impacts federal civilian, national security, and Department of War systems, creating substantial demand for related technologies and services. The earliest evidence of this shift appears in late 2024 with market research for VoIP analysis solutions.

• Oct 14, 2026, 5:15 AM ETreal97 recordslatest record Oct 13, 2026

  Federal agencies commit over $2.5B to cybersecurity contracts, driven by new executive orders and legislative pushes for AI and Zero Trust.

  The US government is rapidly expanding its cybersecurity infrastructure and capabilities, with a significant focus on Zero Trust architectures and integrating AI for defense. This acceleration is driven by new executive orders mandating stricter security standards across federal systems and a legislative push to address AI-enabled threats and remote access vulnerabilities. Over $2.5 billion in contracts have been awarded to implement these directives, signaling a broad and urgent federal initiative.

• Oct 13, 2026, 5:13 AM ETreal94 recordslatest record Oct 13, 2026

  Federal agencies commit over $2.5B to cybersecurity contracts, driven by new executive orders and legislative pushes for AI and Zero Trust.

  The US government is rapidly expanding its cybersecurity infrastructure and capabilities, with a significant focus on Zero Trust architectures and integrating AI for defense. This acceleration is driven by new executive orders mandating stricter security standards across federal systems and a legislative push to address AI-enabled threats and remote access vulnerabilities. Over $2.5 billion in contracts have been awarded to implement these directives, signaling a broad and urgent federal initiative.

• Oct 12, 2026, 5:13 AM ETreal90 recordslatest record Oct 9, 2026

  Federal agencies commit over $2.5B to cybersecurity contracts, driven by new executive orders and legislative pushes for Zero Trust and AI security.

  The US government is rapidly expanding its cybersecurity posture, committing billions to secure federal networks and critical infrastructure. This acceleration is driven by new executive orders mandating enhanced security, particularly for national security systems and AI integration, alongside legislative efforts to codify cybercrime defenses and secure remote access. The focus is on implementing Zero Trust architectures and leveraging AI for defense.

• Oct 11, 2026, 5:13 AM ETreal418 recordslatest record Oct 9, 2026

  Executive Orders mandate AI cybersecurity and stricter NSS standards, driving $1.7B in federal IT and cybersecurity contracts.

  The US government is rapidly escalating its focus on cybersecurity, particularly in the context of Artificial Intelligence and National Security Systems. This push is driven by recent Executive Orders and Presidential Memoranda, which are translating into significant federal contracts for IT modernization and cybersecurity services. The Department of Defense and General Services Administration are leading the procurement efforts.

• Oct 10, 2026, 5:13 AM ETreal89 recordslatest record Oct 7, 2026

  Federal agencies commit over $2.5B to cybersecurity contracts, driven by new executive orders mandating AI and national security system hardening.

  The US government is rapidly escalating its cybersecurity posture, committing billions to secure federal networks and critical infrastructure. This acceleration is primarily driven by two executive orders in June 2026, which mandate enhanced AI security and stricter controls over national security systems. The orders have quickly translated into significant contract awards for IT and cybersecurity services.

• Oct 9, 2026, 5:13 AM ETreal411 recordslatest record Oct 7, 2026

  Executive Orders mandate cybersecurity hardening and AI integration across federal and defense systems, driving $1.7B in related contracts.

  The US government is rapidly escalating its cybersecurity posture, particularly through executive action and significant contract awards. This push is driven by a dual focus on hardening existing federal and defense systems and integrating advanced AI for both defensive and offensive capabilities. The Department of Defense and General Services Administration are leading this charge with substantial investments.

• Oct 8, 2026, 5:13 AM ETreal402 recordslatest record Oct 6, 2026

  Executive Orders mandate cybersecurity hardening across federal systems, driving $1.7B in contracts.

  The US government is rapidly escalating its cybersecurity posture, driven by two recent Executive Orders that mandate hardening of national security and civilian systems. This has translated into significant contract awards for IT and cybersecurity services, with a clear focus on enterprise-wide solutions and AI-powered defenses. The push began with initial market research for VoIP analysis and portal development, but has quickly moved to large-scale implementation.

• Oct 7, 2026, 5:16 AM ETreal403 recordslatest record Oct 6, 2026

  Executive Orders mandate cybersecurity hardening and AI integration across federal systems, driving over $2B in defense and GSA contracts.

  The US government is rapidly escalating its cybersecurity posture, particularly through executive action and significant contract awards. This push is characterized by a dual focus: hardening existing federal and national security systems, and integrating artificial intelligence into defensive capabilities. The Department of Defense and General Services Administration are leading the procurement efforts, with recent executive orders providing a clear mandate for these initiatives.

• Oct 6, 2026, 5:13 AM ETreal1380 recordslatest record Oct 5, 2026

  Executive orders mandate AI cybersecurity and stricter national security system defenses, driving over $2.5B in federal IT contracts.

  The US government is rapidly escalating its cybersecurity posture, particularly in response to emerging AI threats and the need for more robust national security system defenses. This push is driven by recent executive actions that mandate enhanced protections and establish new frameworks for AI security, translating into significant federal IT and cybersecurity contract awards.

• Oct 5, 2026, 5:13 AM ETreal91 recordslatest record Oct 1, 2026

  Federal agencies commit over $3.5B to cybersecurity and IT modernization, driven by new executive orders on AI and national security systems.

  The US government is significantly increasing its investment in cybersecurity and IT modernization, with over $3.5 billion in contracts awarded since April 2025. This surge is underpinned by two key executive actions in June 2026, which mandate enhanced cybersecurity for national security and civilian systems, and integrate AI into federal cyber defenses. The focus is on securing critical infrastructure and government networks against evolving threats.