7 Predictions for the 2026 Threat Landscape: Navigating the Year Ahead

As we navigate 2026, the pace of technological change continues to accelerate — and with it, the cyber threat landscape. Over the past year, our ThreatLabz research team has analyzed countless threats, uncovering trends that give us a clear view of the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. The rise of artificial intelligence, the dissolution of the traditional perimeter into a hyper-distributed attack surface of users, devices, and applications, and the industrialization of cybercrime demand a new level of vigilance and a modern, AI-powered defensive strategy.

Based on our latest research reports, I’ve synthesized what I believe are the most critical predictions that will shape cybersecurity for every enterprise this year.

The top 7 security predictions for 2026

1. The industrialization of AI-powered attacks

Generative AI is not just a force multiplier for global organizations — it has also become a critical component of the threat actor’s arsenal in launching sophisticated and automated attacks at scale. We are seeing ransomware groups and phishing operators weaponize GenAI to create scalable, hyper-realistic, and multi-stage attacks. This includes everything from crafting flawless phishing emails and deepfake "vishing" calls to debugging malware code and even using LLMs to analyze stolen data for maximum extortion leverage. We are also seeing nation state threat actors use GenAI for creating fake profiles, develop evasive malware, as well as exfiltrate data from victim entities. The barrier to entry for creating sophisticated, targeted attacks has effectively vanished.

2. Agentic AI will transform cyber defense

Just as attackers leverage AI for offense, we must aggressively use it for defense. The next evolution is agentic AI, which will transform how enterprises protect users, applications, and data. AI agents will act as autonomous defenders, capable of proactively identifying threats, correlating data from disparate sources (users, devices, networks), and executing defensive actions at machine speed. As our customers grapple with the complexity and risk AI brings, agentic security will be the key to managing this new reality and turning the tables on attackers.

3. Risks from AI Vibe Coding & Shadow AI agentic applications will exponentially grow

As global organizations continue to adopt AI agents for software development and productivity tasks, we are going to see a significant uptick in the number of software vulnerabilities in the resulting code, as well as compromised or malicious packages embedded in the final application — creating a large attack surface for many organizations. Depending on the data that these LLM models were trained on, the resulting quality of the code from a secure coding perspective will be very different. For example, if the training data involves insecure code snippets, or student projects which were not necessarily focused on secure coding, the resulting code may reflect that. Meanwhile, coding agents can and will ‘miss the forest for the trees’ — introducing security vulnerabilities as a result of having limited context of a larger codebase. 

Just like Shadow IT is a huge problem, we will see Shadow AI applications lurking in modern enterprises which often will not have the same level of security governance. This when combined with compromised third party packages can offer a beach head to the threat actors.

4. Data extortion fully eclipses encryption in ransomware

While encryption remains a threat, the primary lever for ransomware payments is now data exfiltration. Threat groups like Clop and BianLian have pioneered the "extortion-only" model, and it's proving brutally effective. As organizations improve their data backup and recovery strategies, attackers have responded by stealing massive volumes of sensitive data and threatening to leak it. The focus has shifted from disrupting operations to weaponizing reputation and regulatory risk. Indeed, we saw a 92.7% rise in the volume of data exfiltrated by the top ransomware families in 2025, per the Zscaler ThreatLabz 2025 Ransomware Report. 

5. The expanding edge—IoT, OT, and 5G—is the new battleground

The traditional network perimeter is gone. The new front line is a sprawling ecosystem of connected devices across Internet of Things (IoT), Operational Technology (OT), and 5G networks. We anticipate a surge in ransomware targeting critical sectors like manufacturing and healthcare by exploiting interdependencies between these systems. Without a Zero Trust model that extends to every device—from a factory sensor to a 5G-enabled SIM—organizations are dangerously exposed to lateral movement and widespread disruption.

6. The supply chain becomes a primary vector for widespread compromise

Why attack one company when you can attack thousands? Adversaries are increasingly targeting the software and infrastructure supply chain. This takes two primary forms: injecting malicious code into third-party mobile applications trusted by millions, and the continued leaking of ransomware source code and builder kits. These leaks fuel a new generation of copycat attacks, allowing less-skilled actors to launch sophisticated campaigns by building on the work of major ransomware groups. The same will be true for the AI supply chain as well, where AI tooling will be continually targeted for third-party attacks. 

7. The great security consolidation accelerates

The complexity described in the previous predictions—spanning AI-driven threats, a fragmented edge, and multi-channel attacks—is making the traditional, siloed approach to security untenable. We predict enterprises will aggressively move to consolidate their security stacks. The era of deploying dozens of disparate point products for mobile, IoT, and cloud is ending. CISOs will demand unified platforms that enforce consistent Zero Trust policies across all environments, providing end-to-end visibility and control as a strategic necessity for survival.

Conclusion

The common thread through all these predictions is intelligence—both human and artificial. Attackers are becoming smarter, more targeted, and more collaborative. Our defense must be, too. The only way to secure a distributed, AI-driven world is with a unified, AI-powered Zero Trust platform that can make intelligent security decisions at the scale and speed of modern business. By working together and embracing these new defensive technologies, we can not only meet the challenges of 2026 but emerge more resilient than ever.

Explore the research

The insights in this post are drawn from in-depth analysis by our Zscaler ThreatLabz research team. For a detailed examination of the data, tactics, and trends shaping the threat landscape, download the full reports:

• The ThreatLabz 2026 AI Security Report
• The ThreatLabz 2025 Mobile, IoT, and OT Threat Report
• The ThreatLabz 2025 Ransomware Report
• The ThreatLabz 2025 Phishing Report