Cybersecurity in 2026 is accelerating amid growing threats, geopolitical fragmentation and a widening technological divide, according to a survey comprising top executives in 99 countries, World Economic Forum reports. The three key trends for cybersecurity 2026: AI is supercharging the cyber arms race. Geopolitics is a defining feature of cybersecurity. Cyber-enabled fraud is threatening CEOs and households alike
“From an economic perspective, unequal access to resources and expertise continues to widen cyber inequity. Ultimately, strengthening collective cyber resilience has become both an economic and a societal imperative. Cybersecurity is a frontier where collaboration remains not only possible, but powerful – a reminder that, even amid fragmentation, economic strain and uncertainty, collective action can drive progress for all.”
AI is anticipated to be the most significant driver of change in cybersecurity in the year ahead, according to 94% of survey respondents.
Assessing the security of AI tools has nearly doubled from the previous year, from 37% in 2025 to 64% in 2026.
At the same time, AI vulnerabilities are accelerating at an unprecedented pace: 87% identified AI-related vulnerabilities as the fastest-growing cyber risk over the course of 2025, according to the report.
“In 2026, geopolitics remains the top factor influencing overall cyber risk mitigation strategies. Some 64% of organizations are accounting for geopolitically motivated cyberattacks – such as disruption of critical infrastructure or espionage.”
The report says that notably, 91% of the largest organizations have changed their cybersecurity strategies due to geopolitical volatility.
“In the context of geopolitical volatility, confidence in national cyber preparedness continues to erode, with 31% of survey respondents reporting low confidence in their nation’s ability to respond to major cyber incidents, up from 26% last year. Confidence levels vary greatly across regions.”
“Respondents from the Middle East and North Africa express a high degree of confidence in their country’s ability to protect critical infrastructure (84%), while confidence is lower among respondents in Latin America and the Caribbean (13%).”
“Despite its central role in safeguarding critical infrastructure, the public sector reports markedly lower confidence in national preparedness. Some 23% of public-sector organizations reported having insufficient cyber resilience capabilities.”
73% reported that they or someone in their network had been personally affected by cyber-enabled fraud over the course of 2025.
“CEOs rate cyber-enabled fraud as their top concern, shifting focus from ransomware to emerging risks such as cyber-enabled fraud and AI vulnerabilities.”
“Chief information security officers by contrast, remain concerned about ransomware and supply chain resilience. This reflects how cybersecurity priorities diverge between the boardroom and the front line”, the report says.
“Concerns about the resilience of supply chains against cyberattacks are continuing to worry business and cyber executives. This year’s survey data shows that 65% of large companies by revenue indicate third-party and supply chain vulnerabilities are their greatest challenge, which has risen from 54% in 2025.”
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