Inside the 2026 SMB threat landscape: From phishing and scams to fake AI tools

Kaspersky’s 2026 SMB threat analysis shows a marked increase in active attacks against small and medium businesses: malware and PUAs are frequently disguised as popular AI tools (33,352 detections Jan–Apr 2026) and communication apps (~414,736 attacks), phishing and scam campaigns target credentials and funds, and initial-access brokers offer compromised corporate access on dark web forums; the report concludes with practical mitigations (access controls, backups, employee training, and specialized security solutions).