Top 2 Cybersecurity Stocks to Buy and Hold Through 2036

Cybersecurity has shifted from a “nice-to-have” IT line item into a non-negotiable business necessity. Cloud migration, AI-driven threat actors, remote work, connected devices, and tightening regulations have all combined to make security spending more durable than many other tech categories. For long-term investors, that durability matters—because the best “buy and hold” stocks are often the ones tied to needs that don’t go away.

Looking out to 2036, the most compelling cybersecurity investments are likely to be companies with:

• Mission-critical products that sit close to the “front door” of enterprise networks
• Platform potential (upsell, cross-sell, and multi-module adoption)
• Strong competitive moats such as data advantages, switching costs, and trusted brand reputation
• Healthy balance sheets and the ability to invest through down cycles

Below are two cybersecurity stocks that fit those criteria particularly well for a long time horizon.

1) Palo Alto Networks (NASDAQ: PANW)

Why Palo Alto Networks can thrive through 2036

Palo Alto Networks has evolved from a next-generation firewall leader into a broad cybersecurity platform covering network security, cloud security, and security operations (SecOps). That matters because many enterprises are actively consolidating their vendor stacks—preferring fewer providers with integrated capabilities, centralized policy management, and a cleaner total cost of ownership.

In practical terms, Palo Alto’s platform approach can support long-term growth because it encourages customers to adopt additional modules over time rather than switching vendors.

Key strengths for long-term investors

• Platform breadth and cross-sell: Offerings span perimeter security, cloud workload protection, SASE, endpoint, and SOC tools—creating multiple paths to expand within existing accounts.
• High switching costs: Security infrastructure is deeply embedded in network architecture and operations. Migrating away is disruptive and risk-intensive.
• Enterprise trust and scale: Large organizations want vendors with proven reliability, global support, and compliance readiness.
• Exposure to durable demand drivers: Cloud adoption, AI-powered threats, and regulatory requirements should remain tailwinds for many years.

What could drive returns over the next decade+

Holding through 2036 is about identifying multi-year compounding mechanisms. With Palo Alto, those mechanisms include module expansion (customers buying more capabilities) and security stack consolidation (customers standardizing on fewer vendors). Add in the long-term rise of automated attacks and the need for always-on monitoring, and enterprises will likely keep prioritizing vendors that deliver outcomes, not just tools.

Risks to consider

No cybersecurity company is risk-free. Palo Alto faces:

• Intense competition from both platform peers and specialized point-solution vendors
• Execution risk as the company balances product innovation with integrating acquisitions and expanding into new segments
• Valuation sensitivity if growth investors rotate away from tech during rate or macro shocks

Still, for investors seeking a large-cap security leader with multi-product reach, Palo Alto Networks is often viewed as a core long-term holding candidate.

2) CrowdStrike (NASDAQ: CRWD)

Why CrowdStrike can be a long-term winner through 2036

CrowdStrike is widely associated with endpoint security, but its bigger story is a cloud-native cybersecurity platform built around data. Its architecture helps it ingest and analyze massive volumes of security telemetry, enabling faster detection and response. As threats become more automated and more sophisticated, data-driven security becomes a compounding advantage.

For long-term investors, CrowdStrike’s positioning aligns with a decade-plus trend: organizations want security platforms that can prevent breaches, detect anomalies quickly, and respond automatically—all while reducing operational workload for understaffed security teams.

Key strengths for long-term investors

• Cloud-native platform: Built for modern environments and rapid iteration, which can help it innovate quickly as threats change.
• Data and analytics advantage: Larger datasets can strengthen detection and response capabilities, improving product effectiveness over time.
• Strong module adoption dynamics: Many customers start with endpoint protection and add identity, cloud security, log management, and other modules as needs expand.
• Aligned with zero trust and modern security operations: Identity, device health, and continuous monitoring are central to current security architectures.

What could drive returns over the next decade+

Cybersecurity is moving toward unified platforms where prevention, detection, and response work together across endpoints, identities, cloud workloads, and data. CrowdStrike is positioned to benefit from that convergence—especially as organizations look to simplify operations and reduce alert fatigue in their SOCs.

By 2036, success likely hinges on platforms that can blend:

• Real-time telemetry from endpoints and workloads
• Identity-aware controls to stop lateral movement
• Automation to shrink response times

CrowdStrike’s long-term thesis is that the more customers adopt its modules, the stronger the overall platform becomes—creating a reinforcing loop of product value and stickiness.

Risks to consider

• Competitive pressure in endpoint and cloud security remains intense, with large vendors bundling features aggressively.
• Customer IT budget cycles can temporarily slow growth even if long-term demand remains strong.
• Platform execution must remain excellent; any major product misstep or reputation damage could weigh heavily in a trust-based market.

Despite these risks, CrowdStrike is frequently cited as a best-in-class cybersecurity compounder due to its cloud-native approach and expanding product suite.

How to think about “buy and hold through 2036” in cybersecurity

Look for platform consolidation winners

Many organizations are tired of managing dozens of security tools. Vendors that enable consolidation—without sacrificing protection—can capture larger wallet share. Both Palo Alto Networks and CrowdStrike have positioned themselves as multi-module platforms, which can strengthen retention and expand revenue per customer over time.

Prioritize resilience, not hype

Cybersecurity trends come and go—buzzwords change, and new categories appear. The most durable companies tend to solve evergreen problems like:

• Preventing unauthorized access
• Detecting attacks quickly
• Responding and recovering with minimal downtime

Diversify entries and manage valuation risk

Even great companies can be poor short-term investments if bought at the wrong price. A long holding period doesn’t eliminate valuation risk—it just gives fundamentals more time to matter. Consider strategies like dollar-cost averaging or building positions over time, particularly during broader market pullbacks.

Bottom line: Two cybersecurity stocks with 2036 potential

If your goal is to identify cybersecurity stocks with the potential to remain relevant and competitive through 2036, you want companies that can keep up with evolving threats while steadily expanding customer value.

• Palo Alto Networks stands out for its breadth across network, cloud, and security operations—plus the enterprise-scale trust needed for long-term platform adoption.
• CrowdStrike stands out for its cloud-native model, data-driven security advantages, and strong module expansion story that can compound over time.

The cybersecurity industry will almost certainly look different a decade from now, but the need for protection will only intensify. Investors who focus on platform leaders with strong execution and durable demand drivers may be best positioned to ride that growth through 2036.