The Top 26 Security Predictions for 2026 (Part 1)

This report synthesizes leading 2026 cybersecurity predictions from vendors and analysts (including Trend Micro, Google/Mandiant, WatchGuard, Fortinet, Gartner, Kaspersky, Check Point, SentinelOne, Splunk, Fortra, Palo Alto, Akamai, and Proofpoint), emphasizing the rise of agentic AI for both offense and defense, surging AI-powered social engineering and fully automated ransomware, identity as the new perimeter with zero-trust and browser-based workspaces, accelerated moves to post-quantum cryptography, and heightened risks to supply chains and critical infrastructure. It urges organizations to adapt with AI-aware governance, incident-ready operations, and data- and identity-centric controls while anticipating convergence between APT and criminal ecosystems.