Fortinet Cyberthreat Predictions 2026: Key Findings and Themes
Fortinet predicts 2026 will be defined by the industrialization of cybercrime through AI, automation, and specialized criminal ecosystems — pushing defenders toward threat-informed, machine-speed operations.
Fortinet's Cyberthreat Predictions for 2026 examines how cybercrime is becoming increasingly industrialized through automation, artificial intelligence, and specialization. Rather than focusing on entirely new attack techniques, the report argues that the defining characteristic of 2026 will be the increasing speed and efficiency with which existing techniques are deployed.
The report explores both offensive and defensive trends. It considers how threat actors are expected to evolve their operations while also outlining how defenders may need to adapt their security strategies to operate at comparable speeds.
This review summarizes the report's primary findings, maps them to Cyntari's cybersecurity themes, and highlights who is likely to benefit most from reading the full report.
Short answer
Fortinet predicts that the defining cybersecurity trend for 2026 will be the industrialization of cybercrime through AI, automation, and highly specialized criminal ecosystems. The report suggests attackers will increasingly prioritize operational speed, enabling faster reconnaissance, exploitation, and monetization. It also argues that defenders will need threat-informed, highly automated security operations that integrate threat intelligence, identity security, exposure management, and incident response into continuous workflows.
What does the report cover?
The report provides Fortinet's outlook on cybersecurity developments expected during 2026. It examines offensive capabilities, defensive capabilities, AI-enabled cybercrime, identity security, threat-informed defense, resilience, workforce development, and public-private collaboration.
Key findings from the report
- Cybercrime is becoming industrialized through AI, automation, and specialized ecosystems.
- AI-enabled cybercrime agents are expected to automate larger portions of the attack lifecycle.
- Attack velocity becomes a defining risk factor for defenders.
- Identity becomes central to future security operations.
- Threat-informed defense integrates intelligence, exposure management, and response.
Who should read this report?
- CISOs
- SOC leaders
- Threat intelligence teams
- Security architects
- Incident response teams
- Cyber risk leaders
- Researchers
Questions this report helps answer
- How will AI change cybercrime in 2026?
- Why is cybercrime becoming industrialized?
- How should organizations adopt threat-informed defense?
- Why is identity becoming central to security operations?
- How may ransomware evolve?
Reports mentioned in this article
Fortinet — Cyberthreat Predictions for 2026
The 2026 Cyberthreat Predictions Report highlights the industrialization of cybercrime, driven by automation, AI, and scale. Cybercriminals are operating as structured enterprises, focusing on throughput rather than innovation. Defenders must adapt to this new reality by integrating AI and automation into their security strategies to respond at machine speed.