2026 Cybersecurity Forecast: Key Trends to Watch
▼ Summary
– Attackers are increasingly breaching networks by targeting people rather than exploiting software vulnerabilities.
– The Shiny Hunters’ 2025 attack on Salesforce used phishing and fake OAuth apps to steal data and demand ransom.
– AI tools could make scams and voice spoofing more difficult to detect in the future.
– Geopolitical tensions may lead to more disruptive cyber operations from countries like Russia and Iran.
– Agentic AI could lower the skill required to launch attacks, potentially increasing attack volume.
The human element is rapidly becoming the primary target for cybercriminals, shifting the security landscape away from a sole focus on software vulnerabilities. According to a principal intelligence analyst from Symantec, threat actors are increasingly breaching networks by focusing their efforts on people. A prime example cited is the 2025 attack by the Shiny Hunters group on Salesforce users. In that incident, the attackers successfully employed phishing campaigns and deceptive OAuth applications to steal sensitive data, subsequently holding it for ransom.
The proliferation of artificial intelligence tools presents a dual-edged sword, simultaneously empowering defenders and creating more sophisticated threats. These AI capabilities are making traditional scams and voice spoofing attempts significantly more difficult for individuals and systems to identify. The analyst further highlighted that escalating geopolitical friction, particularly involving nations like Russia and Iran, is likely to fuel a rise in disruptive cyber operations aimed at causing maximum impact.
Another critical development involves the emergence of agentic AI. This technology has the potential to dramatically lower the technical expertise required to launch cyber attacks. The concern is that this democratization of attack tools could lead to a substantial increase in the overall volume of malicious activity, as a wider pool of less-skilled individuals gains offensive capabilities.
A separate report underscores that the integration of AI into identity security frameworks is not a simple upgrade. It demands a fundamental rethinking of defensive strategies. Organizations can no longer rely on outdated playbooks; they must develop entirely new approaches to protect digital identities in an environment where AI-powered threats are becoming the norm.
(Source: HelpNet Security)
