2026 State of Malware
The dawn of machine-scale cybercrime
Explore how human-driven cybercrime is colliding with an emerging AI-driven future, and what businesses must do to survive it.
What you will learn
- Why cybercriminals no longer rely on malware
- Five operating patterns that define modern attacks
- The complete anatomy of a modern cyberattack
- How AI super-charged phishing and fraud
- Why AI will dominate vulnerability discovery and ransomware
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Your guide to the machine-scale future
Cybercrime is accelerating beyond human response—and 2026 marks the tipping point. The 2026 State of Malware Report explores how human-driven cybercrime is colliding with an emerging AI-driven future, and what businesses must do to survive it.
This report is written for business leaders, IT teams, and security professionals navigating a rapidly changing threat landscape. It combines frontline incident-response insight with global threat intelligence to deliver a clear picture of what’s coming next and how to prepare.
What’s inside
A comprehensive, data‑driven analysis of 2025’s cyberthreats—along with expert predictions for the AI‑accelerated threat landscape of 2026.
- Attackers now favor credential‑based hands‑on intrusions
- Ransomware continues to surge, fueled by new groups and remote encryption from unprotected systems.
- Modern attacks rely on speed, stealth, living‑off‑the‑land tactics, blind‑spot staging, and targeting security tools.
- AI is powering deepfakes, rapid vulnerability discovery, and emerging AI‑driven ransomware operations.
The Anatomy of An Attack
Your Guide to Machine-Scale Cybercrime
Uncover the data, insights, and expert analysis you need to prepare for the next wave of AI‑driven cyberthreats.