Industry executives and experts share their predictions for 2026. Read them in this 18th annual VMblog.com series exclusive.
By Cynthia Overby, Director of Strategic Security Solutions, Rocket Software
With organizations accelerating modernization and adopting increasingly interconnected technologies, cybersecurity enters a new phase-one shaped by rapid advances in AI, expanding regulatory demands, and a dramatically more complex threat landscape. The year ahead will require enterprises to rethink how they operate, secure, and govern their digital ecosystems. Cybersecurity can no longer be treated as an isolated technical function; it must be embedded throughout business strategy, risk management, and executive decision-making.
The organizations that survive and thrive won’t be the ones with the strongest walls-they’ll be the ones with the smartest defensive strategy. As attacks grow more sophisticated and regulators more demanding in the coming year, success will depend on building security in layers, not just barriers.
AI-Powered Attacks Grow and Become Harder to Detect
Enterprises should expect a significant increase in AI-driven attacks. Adversaries are increasingly using automated malware, realistic deepfakes, adaptive phishing, and techniques that evolve in real time. With IoT and operational systems expanding the attack surface, detecting malicious activity will become even more challenging. Integrated security platforms, mature Zero Trust architectures, and identity protections built for highly dynamic environments will be essential to countering these threats.
Tightening Regulations Reshape Transparency
Cybersecurity regulations will continue to intensify across geographies. Requirements such as Software Bills of Materials (SBOMs), secure-by-design development, and accelerated incident reporting will reshape how organizations build, manage, and document technology. The EU’s Cyber Resilience Act in particular is expected to influence regulatory expectations globally by setting new standards for transparency and resilience.
AI Takes a Lead Role in Enterprise Security
As threat actors increasingly rely on AI to automate reconnaissance and exploit vulnerabilities, enterprises will need AI-powered defenses to keep pace. Behavioral biometrics, conditional access controls, automated threat detection, and incident response tools designed to operate at machine speed will become core components of a modern security strategy. Organizations that integrate AI into their defense architecture, rather than layering it on reactively, will gain a critical advantage.
Complex Threats Meet Rising Regulation
The intersection of advanced AI-enabled threats and expanding regulatory pressure will create a more demanding security environment for all enterprises, but particularly for financial institutions. These organizations operate critical infrastructure, manage high-value data, and face stringent oversight, making them attractive targets for cybercriminals and state-sponsored actors. Maintaining resilience will require continuous risk assessment, scenario planning, and closer alignment between cybersecurity, legal, and compliance functions.
CISOs Become Key Business Leaders
The role of the CISO will continue its evolution into an executive leadership position central to business strategy. Organizations are increasingly recognizing that cybersecurity has a direct impact on revenue, brand trust, operational stability, and growth plans. As a result, CISOs will have greater influence over technology investments, digital transformation initiatives, and enterprise-wide risk decisions. The organizations that empower CISOs with clear authority and visibility will be better positioned to navigate uncertainty and build long-term resilience.
Cyber Resilience Moves to the Top of the C-Suite Agenda
Cybersecurity will move beyond an IT departmental responsibility and become a shared enterprise obligation. Leadership teams will need to adopt proactive, risk-based frameworks that strengthen identity management, safeguard critical data, and ensure operations can man be modernized without disruption.
Looking Ahead: Building Security for a More Complex Future
The road ahead will bring intensified threats, heightened scrutiny, and increased operational pressure. But it also presents an opportunity for enterprises to transform their security posture into a foundation for innovation and growth. By investing in AI-enabled defenses, strengthening governance, empowering security leadership, and embedding resilience across the organization, enterprises can stay ahead of emerging risks while enabling confident business expansion.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
As Director of Security, Customer Solutions Engineering at Rocket Software, Cynthia Overby leads the company’s suite of solutions, focusing on mainframe security, cyber defense, and data protection, positioning Rocket Software as a leader in the compliance and risk management space. With over 40 years of industry expertise in sectors including financial services, healthcare, IT, and cybersecurity, she brings a wealth of knowledge in security strategy, executive leadership, and business case development.
