What cybersecurity trends can we expect from 2026?

Source Domain: www.digit.fyi

The chaotic rise of AI, geopolitical tensions, regulatory volatility and an accelerating threat landscape are the driving forces behind the top cybersecurity trends for 2026, according to Gartner, Inc.

“Cybersecurity leaders are navigating uncharted territory this year as these forces converge, testing the limits of their teams in an environment defined by constant change,” said Alex Michaels, Director Analyst at Gartner. “This demands new approaches to cyber risk management, resilience and resource allocation.”

The following six trends will have broad impact across transforming governance, securing new frontiers and normalising AI adoption.

Trend 1: Agentic AI Demands Cybersecurity Oversight

Agentic AI is rapidly being used by employees and developers, creating new attack surfaces. No-code/low-code platforms and vibe coding expand this further, driving unmanaged AI agent proliferation, unsecured code and potential regulatory compliance violations.

“While AI agents and automation tools are becoming increasingly accessible and practical for organisations to adopt, strong governance remains essential,” said Michaels. “Cybersecurity leaders must identify both sanctioned and unsanctioned AI agents, enforce robust controls for each and develop incident response playbooks to address potential risks.”

Trend 2: Global Regulatory Volatility Drives Cyber Resilience Efforts

Shifting geopolitical landscapes and evolving global mandates have made cybersecurity a critical business risk with direct implications for organisational resilience. With regulators increasingly holding boards and executives liable for compliance failures, inaction can result in substantial penalties, lost business and irreversible reputational damage.

Gartner advises cybersecurity leaders to formalise collaboration across legal, business and procurement teams to establish clear accountability for cyber risk. Aligning control frameworks to recognised…

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