Upcoming Cybersecurity Trends

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Mobile devices are becoming a prime cyber attack vector. Hackers are increasingly leveraging machine learning in the cloud, turning connected devices into fertile ground for compromise.

The wheels of the biggest cybersecurity threats have already set the pace. Mobile, cloud, and artificial intelligence, among others, remain trends that criminals continue to exploit. Combined with the rapid growth of software development and a persistent shortage of cybersecurity skills, these factors will keep security professionals on their toes throughout 2026.

Ransomware Shifts Focus

Ransomware dominated 2025 and will remain a major threat in 2026. Organized cyber gangs are moving away from large-scale banking trojans and multi-million-dollar SWIFT heists toward smaller, more frequent ransomware attacks. As Limor Kessem of IBM Security explains, these strikes are “simpler to anonymize, easier to launder, and demand much less sharing of illegal profits with street gangs.”

Mobile Becomes the Primary Phishing Vector

Mobile

Mobile is now the leading phishing vector for credential attacks in 2026. “Traditional secure email gateways block malicious emails and URLs, which works for corporate email but fails to protect against mobile attack vectors such as personal email, social networks, and messaging apps,” according to Lookout security experts.

DevSecOps and Secure Software Development

Software

As software development accelerates, the need to address security risks early becomes critical. The attack surface has expanded from local code to the entire development pipeline. Experts emphasize that a DevSecOps mindset must prevail, with code review integrated from initial design through to production.

“We are seeing organizations begin to build security into every stage of the development pipeline, and expect to see more of this shift in 2026,” wrote Suzanne Ciccone of Veracode.

Cloud Infrastructure Under Scrutiny

Cloud

As more corporate infrastructure migrates to the cloud, attackers are following. According to Kaspersky’s 2026 security outlook, “running an attack will become more challenging and the activities of threat actors will grow more complex or more frequent—relying on opportunity rather than planning.”

5G and the Expansion of IoT

5G

Global adoption of 5G infrastructure will accelerate in 2026, driving growth in edge computing and a surge of new connected IoT devices. Existing challenges around authentication, confidentiality, authorization, availability, and data protection will be magnified. “Businesses will reach a critical mass of these devices in 2026, forcing them to reevaluate their risk paradigm for connected devices,” noted Forescout in its year-ahead outlook.

From 2FA to MFA and Biometrics

Authentication

“Authentication will move from two-factor (2FA) to multi-factor (MFA), including biometrics,” according to Lookout’s 2026 forecasts. The company noted that one-time authorization codes (OTAC) used for 2FA were already being circumvented in advanced phishing attacks. “To protect against credential theft and meet regulatory compliance, organizations are adopting MFA and biometrics using mobile devices.”

AI-Powered Phishing Campaigns

AI

Attacks such as phishing will continue to leverage machine learning to optimize campaigns. “Phishing baits and landing pages will be A/B tested by AI algorithms to increase conversion rates, while new domains will be generated and registered with AI algorithms,” Lookout stated.

Deepfakes and Misinformation

Fakes piqued

Interest in deepfakes grew after proof-of-concept examples emerged and real incidents duped one company out of $243,000. Deepfake technology used against organizations and in misinformation campaigns is expected to increase in 2026. The problem is forecast to become so widespread that, according to Gartner’s 2026 predictions, “up to 30% of world news and video content will be authenticated as genuine with blockchain, countering deepfake technology.”

End of Windows 7 Support

Microsoft

In January, Microsoft will sunset support for Windows 7. For users and organizations without extended support, Microsoft will stop patching the OS even when security vulnerabilities are discovered. “History will repeat itself in 2026, with one major attack leveraging the vulnerability to impact companies worldwide, similar to what we saw with the end of support for Windows XP,” wrote Forescout.

Human Factor Remains the Weakest Link

Malware

Driven by the high cost of complex malware-based attacks, cybercriminals are shifting tactics in 2026. “Direct attacks on infrastructure have become a lot more costly, requiring an increasing number of skills and time,” Kaspersky wrote. As a result, “the year ahead will see an increase in attacks using social engineering techniques. The human factor remains a weak link in security.” Attackers are also expected to offer substantial sums to insiders, with payments varying by region and the target’s position in the organization.

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