New year, new and more complex challenges for cybersecurity leaders, starting on the technology front: AI tools are revolutionizing ways of working for security operations teams while unfortunately also empowering cyber threat actors to amplify their attacks.
Meanwhile, the unprecedented wave of debilitating targeted cyberattacks that hit the manufacturing sector and disrupted operations at some of the biggest companies in the world over the past year serves as a stark wake-up call for critical infrastructure and other organizations to prioritize operational resilience.
At the same time, the very foundation of financial protection in the face of a cyberattack — cyber insurance coverage — has reached a tipping point. Insurers are now more closely scrutinizing policyholders’ security postures, pressuring CISOs and executives to invest more in defense tools and potentially face higher premiums.
All eyes will be on the U.S. federal government agency tasked with protecting critical infrastructure and leading cybersecurity policy: the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, which is reeling after a year of massive workforce cuts and weakened private-industry partnerships. CISA’s ability to adapt and lead will be critical to safeguarding national security and critical infrastructure.
But that is just a sneak-peek for 2026. Here is a deeper look at these and other critical cyber trends and issues to watch this year: