Nation-states and cybercriminals will remain the biggest cyber threats in 2026, but AI tools are elevating two new threat groups: data harvesters and vulnerability researchers. These groups can now automate data collection and exploit software flaws at scale, amplifying other attacks.
Chapters
Nation states and cybercriminals still rule when it comes to cyber attackers, but data harvesters and vulnerability researchers will rise in rankings in 2026 due to AI tools. Now, the two big cybersecurity threat actor archetypes, nation states and cybercriminals, remain at the top of the list for overall industry impact. Nation states bring tremendous skills and unfathomable amounts of research and funding. Cybercriminals, who are very pervasive, motivated, and creative, are able to fleece victims across the globe, causing over trillions of dollars in damage. Those two still remain at the top, but we've got two others that were way down on the list but are moving up quickly. And I'm talking about data harvesters and vulnerability researchers. Both of these groups will be greatly amplified through the use of AI to gather sensitive data, find vulnerabilities, and extrapolate valuable information. The risks they pose, the attacks they will employ, and the types of impacts they will create when successful will move the needle in 2026. Their success will feed and accelerate other types of attacks and is a direct result of the AI revolution.
