2026 Threat Report on Cybersecurity Trends

This report presents an analysis of cybersecurity threats and trends observed over the past year, focusing on the evolving landscape of ransomware and data incidents. It outlines key findings from Arctic Wolf's Incident Response (IR) team, highlighting that attackers are increasingly leveraging existing vulnerabilities rather than developing new exploits. The report categorizes incidents into ransomware, business email compromise (BEC), data incidents, and pre-ransomware activities, revealing that ransomware continues to dominate incident cases. It emphasizes the importance of robust defenses, such as identity controls and remote access management, in mitigating threats. The report also details regional trends in EMEA, noting a significant rise in data extortion cases and the impact of regulatory pressures on attacker behavior. Additionally, it provides predictions for 2026, indicating that ransomware will remain a critical threat while data incidents may surpass BEC in prevalence. The insights are derived from comprehensive data collected during the reporting period, offering actionable recommendations for organizations to enhance their cybersecurity posture.