Our security partners Watchguard have shared their top cybersecurity predictions for 2026. Read on to see how your business will be affected. In all cases, our IT team are here to support and protect you with our simple wrap around security solution that has your systems, devices and users protected from every angle.
Crypto-Ransomware to go extinct
In 2026, crypto-ransomware will effectively go extinct, as threat actors abandon encryption and focus on data theft and extortion. Businesses have significantly improved their data backup and restoration capabilities, meaning they’re more likely to recover from a traditional crypto-ransomware attack without having to pay the extortion demands. Instead, cybercriminals simply steal data, threaten to leak it, and even report victims to regulators or insurance companies to increase pressure.
Open source will rely on AI for Supply Chain Protection
Open source is under siege and traditional security controls, such as tighter authentication and shorter token lifetimes, can’t keep up. In 2026, open-source package repositories will adopt automated, AI-driven defenses to fight back against a growing wave of supply chain attacks.
Software manufacturers must declare vulnerabilities fast
In 2026, the EU Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) will finally become the market force that drives adoption of secure-by-design principles. With the first phase going into effect next September, software manufacturers selling into the EU must report actively exploited vulnerabilities and security incidents within 24 hours. The incentive for manufacturers will be to build security into products from the start.
Autonomous AI will attack on its own
AI will stop just assisting cybercriminals and starts attacking on its own. Businesses must fight fire with fire: only AI-driven defense tools that detect, analyse, and remediate at the same velocity as attacker AIs will stand a chance.
Zero Trust Network Access to replace VPNs
At least one-third of 2026 breaches will be due to weaknesses and misconfigurations in legacy remote access and VPN tools. Threat actors have specifically targeted VPN access ports over the past two years, either stealing users’ credentials or exploiting vulnerabilities in specific VPN products.
As a result SMBs will begin to use more Zero trust Network Access (ZTNA) tools because it removes the need to expose a potentially vulnerable VPN port to the Internet. ZTNA allows you to grant individual user groups access to only the internal services they need to perform their jobs, thereby limiting the potential damage.