Cyber Trends To Watch In 2026
With 2026 fast approaching, it is helpful to look ahead to what the main cyber trends are likely to be over the coming 12 months. Cybercrime is evolving at a rapid rate, which is why it is important to be ahead of the curve so that you know what the latest scams are and how to protect your business. This is not easy when things are changing so quickly, but there are a few trends that are likely to emerge in 2026 that can help you protect your data and business. Interested? Keep reading to learn about the main cyber trends to keep an eye on in 2026.
Managed Detection & Response Services
With cybercrime becoming increasingly prevalent and targeting businesses of all sizes, organizations need 24/7 monitoring to detect threats before they cause damage. This is why managed detection and response services from experts like Red Canary will be a huge trend in 2025. This service ensures constant monitoring with advanced detection tools that can lead to the instant removal of threats. Hiring your own team can be a huge cost, so outsourcing to a specialist is smart and will give you the strongest protection in the new year.
The AI Arms Race
Of course, AI is having a huge impact in 2025. AI is being used on both sides of the cyber war, so it is important to keep pace with the latest developments so that you can protect yourself against the latest threats. In 2026, cybercriminals will use “agentic AI”, which are autonomous AI agents that can be used to launch phishing attacks, exploit vulnerabilities, and conduct reconnaissance with minimal human input. On the other side, agentic AI can be used for detection and response services. This creates an arms race that organizations need to be aware of so that they can ensure strong protection against AI threats.
Deepfakes
One of the most concerning areas of cybercrime heading into the new year is deepfake scams. These will be used more aggressively to impersonate employees, third parties, and even government officials. This is worrying because it can already be difficult to spot a deep fake scam, even if you are aware of them. This will mean that people will need to trust what they see online less and less. AI-based systems can be used to detect deepfakes and will play a key role in combating them in 2026.
Zero-Trust Architecture 2.0
Zero-trust architecture has been a major trend in recent years, and for good reason. Zero-trust is a smart way to protect your business by requiring ongoing verification, and this will move into its next phase in the new year. This will involve identity engines using both behavioral analytics and context to make real-time access decisions.
These will be the main cyber trends to watch out for in 2026. Both cybercrime and cybersecurity are evolving at a rapid rate, particularly with the rise of AI, and it is vital that you keep pace with the latest developments in order to protect your data and business from the latest threats.
