Cyber attacks in 2026 are becoming faster, more coordinated, and highly automated. According to the Cyber Security Report 2026 by Check Point Research, attackers are combining AI, identity abuse, ransomware, hybrid infrastructure, and social engineering into cohesive campaigns that go beyond traditional security approaches. Below are the key trends defining cyber security in 2026.
AI as a New Attack Vector
AI is now embedded across the entire attack chain — from reconnaissance to data exfiltration. As many as 90% of organizations have encountered risky AI prompts, with a significant portion posing real risks of data leakage or privilege abuse.
Ransomware Is Smaller, Faster, and Smarter
Ransomware attacks have increased by 48%, driven mainly by smaller, decentralized groups supported by AI. Instead of exploiting new vulnerabilities, attackers often rely on existing access and compromised identities.
Hybrid Environments Expand the Attack Surface
The combination of on‑premises systems, cloud environments, and edge devices creates complex infrastructures that attackers exploit both as entry points and as spaces for stealthy lateral movement.
Cyber Attacks as Part of Geopolitics
Cyber operations are increasingly used to support political and military objectives, targeting civilian systems, cloud services, and critical infrastructure.
Social Engineering Goes Far Beyond Email
Attackers now combine email, web, phone calls, and collaboration tools. As many as 46% of emails with attachments are malicious, and techniques such as ClickFix have seen a sharp increase.
The number of cyber attacks has increased by 18% year over year, with organizations facing nearly 2,000 attacks per week on average. The report clearly shows that attacks are already interconnected and systematic — and that successful defense depends on the ability to respond quickly, contextually, and across the entire environment.
Read more (source): Cyber Security Report 2026
