To build a resilient cyber defence, companies need to understand the forces driving risk in the modern world. This analysis outlines the critical cybersecurity trends industry leaders are preparing for in 2026, starting with a massive increase in attack frequency.

Cyberattacks Are Rising

Last year, organizations experienced an average of nearly 2,000 cyberattacks per week, a 70% increase from 2023. This surge is driven by automation. Criminals have integrated AI into their toolkits, allowing them to scale attacks globally and exploit new vulnerabilities the moment they appear.

A recent Insight Report from the World Economic Forum confirms this trajectory: “72% of respondents report an increase in organizational cyber risks, with ransomware remaining a top concern.” 

We expect ransomware to remain a primary driver of risk throughout 2026, so it’s essential to train all employees to spot the signs of AI phishing attacks. AI-driven attacks, however, can use personalized approaches that make it more difficult for the average person to recognize. Today’s phishing attacks can rely on generative AI and similar technologies to convince employees that they’ve received legitimate messages. When your staff members respond, they open the entire organization to threats.

AI Is Reshaping Cyber Threats in 2026

That just scratches the surface of how AI is changing the landscape of cyber threats. Social engineering, a skill that lets hackers gain a person’s confidence to steal passwords and other sensitive data, used to rely on a human being. Now, AI is making social engineering and phishing scams more effective.

Just a few years ago, most phishing emails were fairly easy to spot. They typically contained misspellings and made broad generalizations. Basic cybersecurity training programs could teach team members how to recognize and report them.

Now that phishing schemes are driven by artificial intelligence, they can include specific details that make them seem trustworthy. For example, an email might replicate a colleague’s writing style and include your manager’s name. If emails look like the messages you get every day, you’re more likely to interact with them.

These AI-fueled strategies now see a 54% click-through rate. Traditional phishing attempts have a 12% click-through rate.

Beyond social engineering, the speed of attack has accelerated. Criminals can use AI to scan your system for vulnerabilities and execute pre-built exploit tools autonomously. The barrier to entry for hackers has lowered. The stakes for businesses have risen.

To combat this, organizations often turn to AI-driven security tools. Yet technology without human judgment creates a false sense of security. We see a dangerous disconnect in the market. While 72% of executives believe their teams have the tech skills needed to grow, one-third of employees report they’re not using AI daily at work.

This usage gap is a vulnerability. Without AI-fluent staff, even the most sophisticated defense plans can be overwhelmed.

Readiness Is Lagging

Executives understand the seriousness of AI-driven cyberattacks and are investing in strategies that emphasize resilience. A report from PWC shows that “60% of business and tech leaders are making cyber risk investment one of their top three strategic priorities.” 

However, intent has not yet translated into capability. That same report from PWC shows that only about half of leaders say their organizations are “at best only ‘somewhat capable’ of withstanding cyber attacks targeting specific vulnerabilities. 

“Somewhat capable” is a concerning way to describe the current state of cybersecurity readiness. To make matters worse, only 6% say they “feel confident across all vulnerabilities surveyed.” That leaves 94% of organizations operating with known blind spots.

Employees echo these concerns. One of our surveys shows that “less than half (48%) [of tech employees] believe their company is ‘very prepared’ for cyberattacks.

Those tech employees are most concerned about phishing, external threats, and a lack of encryption. 

The Skills Gap Is the Core Barrier to Resilience

Clearly, tech leaders and employees know what risks they face. So, why aren’t they better prepared against those top concerns?

An ongoing cybersecurity skills gap is one of the biggest barriers to executing effective defense strategies. There’s a strong will to implement reliable strategies, but 67% of organizations report a moderate-to-critical skills gap in the cybersecurity space.

This gap cannot be closed by simply trying to hire “unicorns” from the open market. The competition for senior cyber talent is rising, and the supply is too low. 95% of respondents to an ISC2 survey say they still need at least one cybersecurity skill. More than half say they’re missing critical or significant cybersecurity skills. Organizations want to hire professionals, but traditional hiring models are failing.

Cyber Incidents Are Getting More Expensive

To further complicate matters, data breaches have become increasingly expensive in the United States. At the global level, the average cost of a data breach fell to $4.44 million in 2025. The opposite happened in the U.S., where the average cost reached a record $10.22 million.

Thankfully, AI can play an important role in lowering those costs. On average, organizations with AI and automation embedded throughout their security strategies saved about $1.9 million per breach. Just as importantly, they reduced the breach’s lifecycle by 80 days. Those savings, however, depend on having the right tools and professionals in place. 

A Partner Built for the 2026 Threat Landscape

In 2026, cybersecurity is a resilience mandate. Yet AI-accelerated threats, uneven readiness, and widening skills gaps create execution risks for organizations of every size.

That is why Per Scholas constantly updates our cybersecurity training to meet modern needs. Our training is designed for role-readiness. We build practical capability in threat monitoring and analysis, incident response fundamentals, security controls, and risk awareness, focusing on the day-to-day tools and workflows teams rely on to protect systems in real time.

We have also integrated AI fundamentals into all our training so technologists can apply new tools responsibly as environments evolve.

Per Scholas helps employers ensure their cybersecurity teams are ready for the AI era. We support you whether you are building custom talent pipelines, upskilling incumbent teams, or launching apprenticeship pipelines aligned to real operational roles.

Book a 30-minute consultation with Per Scholas Tech Talent Solutions to explore how we can strengthen your cybersecurity workforce.