Cyber threats in 2026: what companies should prepare for now

2026-07-10 · by SECURITYSQUAD

Attack methods are changing faster than many IT departments can keep up. What we currently see more often in our projects isn't science fiction, but everyday reality – just done more professionally than two years ago. Five developments belong on your radar in 2026.

Phishing gets personal

The days of clumsy scam emails are over. Attackers use publicly available information and generative AI to craft messages that are hard to distinguish from genuine communication in tone, context and timing. An email that appears to come from accounting and refers to a real project has a very different success rate. Technical filters help, but the decisive line of defence remains well-trained staff.

The attack comes through the supply chain

Instead of attacking well-secured companies directly, attackers take the detour via service providers and software suppliers. A compromised update, a hijacked remote-maintenance account – and suddenly the door is open, even though your own IT did everything right. So review not only your own security, but also who you grant access to and how that access is protected.

Extortion in several stages

Classic ransomware encrypts data. The current variant steals the data first and threatens to publish it, sometimes even contacting the victim's customers or supervisory authorities. The pressure rises, and simply restoring a backup is no longer a sufficient answer. Being prepared here means clean, offline backups and, above all, a well-rehearsed incident plan.

Identities can be faked

Deepfakes in image and voice have become good enough to deceive in a short video call or on the phone. The supposed call from management with an urgent payment request is a real scenario. Clear, channel-independent approval processes for payments are more effective here than any technology – precisely because they don't overwhelm people.

Connected devices as a blind spot

From smart locks to production sensors: much of it now hangs on the network, but is rarely patched and even more rarely inventoried. These devices are a convenient entry point. An up-to-date inventory and clean network segmentation are unspectacular, but they prevent a hijacked sensor from becoming a problem for the whole network.

What this means for you

The good news: none of these threats requires exotic technology. It requires the fundamentals, applied consistently – hardening, access control, backups, monitoring and trained staff. If you don't know where you stand, the best move is to get an honest overview first.