Industry executives and experts share their predictions for 2026. Read them in this 18th annual VMblog.com series exclusive.
By Alex Mosher, President and CRO, Armis
This past year, it became apparent to executives that security is no longer an �added cost,’ but a core business enabler. A comprehensive security strategy is now a business differentiator, giving organizations an advantage over their competitors. In 2025, many enterprises began embedding cybersecurity into their transformation strategies. Next year, expectations will rise even higher. Security will not just protect-it will guide, accelerate, and empower innovation.
In 2026, we will face a world where multiple, high-impact cyber events are not just possible, they are probable. To prepare, organizations need to leverage cybersecurity as a driving force behind business strategy. As cyber threats become more complex, attack surfaces expand, and new threat vectors emerge, cybersecurity will be the key to ensuring operational and overall business resilience.
Possible Outcomes to Prepare for in 2026
In a world defined by instability, convergence, and social disconnection, only organizations that adapt with agility and foresight will remain secure and relevant in 2026 and beyond. The following scenarios outline what the next wave of disruption could look like.
Mass Operational Disruption Events and Institutional Breakdowns: A large-scale “black swan” cyber event could see multiple critical systems attacked simultaneously. Imagine a coordinated strike targeting the power grid, telecommunications, and water infrastructure across a single nation or region. The result would be cascading failures that paralyze economies, disrupt emergency services, and endanger lives. Whether driven by a state actor or an ideologically motivated group, such an attack could merge digital and physical warfare, inflicting real-world harm on a massive scale.
Self-Evolving AI Attacks and Autonomous Phishing Campaigns: Artificial intelligence will enable attacks that learn and adapt in real time. Using large language models and Gen-AI algorithms, cybercriminals could deploy social engineering-based attacks such as phishing emails, messages, and voice deepfakes that adjust tone, language, and content mid-interaction to manipulate victims more effectively. Chains of AI agents will independently identify vulnerabilities, generate exploits, and launch attacks without human oversight, ushering in an era of self-directed cyber offense.
Massive Deepfake and Synthetic Identity Fraud at Scale: By 2026, deepfake technology will be nearly indistinguishable from reality. Attackers will use synthetic media to impersonate executives, politicians, and trusted individuals on live video calls to authorize fraudulent transactions or manipulate decisions. Entire portfolios of synthetic identities will be created to infiltrate financial institutions, health systems, and government databases, overwhelming existing identity verification systems and blurring the line between human and machine deception.
Triple- and Quadruple-Extortion Ransomware Models: Ransomware will evolve beyond data encryption and exfiltration. Future campaigns will layer multiple forms of pressure, such as DDoS attacks on customer platforms, threats of public defamation, legal exposure, or attacks on suppliers to amplify leverage. The ransomware-as-a-service ecosystem will become more structured, with professionalized criminal groups offering turnkey solutions to affiliates. Some operators will infiltrate critical infrastructure well in advance, holding essential services hostage with threats that move beyond financial loss to include physical harm.
Escalation of Attacks on Critical Infrastructure and IoT/OT Systems: The fusion of IT, operational technology (OT), and IoT devices will expose every sector to new attack vectors. Agriculture, transportation, healthcare, and energy grids will face cyber sabotage designed to disrupt essential services rather than steal information. Attackers could weaponize “smart city” systems or exploit minor IoT devices as entry points, and then laterally move into core operational networks to cause physical damage or service outages.
Systemic Supply Chain Compromise as a Default Risk: By 2026, attacks on software supply chains will become an expected hazard. Threat actors will embed malicious code into open-source dependencies, libraries, and cloud platforms, spreading infections downstream to thousands of organizations simultaneously. Even well-defended enterprises will be vulnerable through trusted third parties, as small maintainers and suppliers struggle to detect or remediate hidden compromises in time.
Disinformation and Social Engineering as Strategic Weapons: Cyber operations will increasingly target public trust itself. During election cycles or geopolitical flashpoints, coordinated campaigns using AI-generated content, fabricated news, and deepfakes will aim to manipulate sentiment, divide societies, and destabilize institutions. These attacks will not seek financial gain but rather to erode confidence in governments, corporations, and democratic systems, turning information itself into a weapon of influence.
2026 will not be the year of “business as usual” in cybersecurity. It will be the year when organizations move beyond checking a box to leveraging security for strategic advantage. Those who embrace dynamic, intelligent, and embedded security approaches will not just withstand threats, they’ll accelerate innovation, strengthen trust, and unlock new opportunities for business growth.
The future of cybersecurity is about more than protection. It’s about empowering organizations to lead with confidence in a connected world. Let’s make 2026 the year security becomes a true catalyst for growth.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
As President and Chief Revenue Officer of Armis Alex lead�s all go-to-market functions globally with a focus on accelerating growth whilst deepening our relationships with customers to drive revenue and scale the business.
