Six things we’re expecting for cybersecurity in 2026

This report outlines 2026 cybersecurity predictions: increased OT exposure making edge/OT systems more reachable for ransomware; attackers using AI to generate noisy, low-quality exploit code that burdens defenders; a shift in vulnerability management from counting CVEs to determining actionability across diverse CNA outputs; AI’s practical value in triage to reduce alert fatigue without replacing analysts; new operational failures from over-automation and AI agents acting with limited context; and the potential emergence of a novel vulnerability class arising specifically from AI-generated coding patterns.