Check Point Software Technologies' Cyber Security Report 2026 reveals an alarming trends that indicate an unprecedented escalation in global cyber attacks. The report, which examines data from the previous year, shows an average of 1,968 cyber attacks occurring weekly worldwide—a staggering 70% increase since 2023.
More concerning for organisations in Asia, Singapore recorded an even higher frequency, with 2,272 weekly attacks, representing a 17% increase from 2024, particularly impacting sectors such as consumer goods and financial services.
The findings highlight a critical evolution in cyber threats, driven largely by advancements in automation and artificial intelligence (AI). Key to this transformation is how attackers are leveraging these technologies for rapid, large-scale operations across various channels.
“AI is not just changing the volume of cyber attacks; it's altering their mechanics,” states Lotem Finkelstein, VP of Research at Check Point. The increased speed and sophistication of these attacks necessitate a reevaluation of existing security frameworks to adequately mitigate emerging risks.
Among the report’s notable insights, 89% of organisations encountered AI-generated prompts deemed risky, with approximately one in every 41 prompts classified as high risk. This dovetails with an alarming trend of AI-driven attacks becoming increasingly autonomous, with attackers now employing sophisticated automation techniques that integrate elements of social engineering, operational decision-making, and reconnaissance.
Ransomware remains a persistent threat, with operations fragmenting into smaller, specialised groups. The decentralisation of these groups has contributed to a 53% jump in extorted victims and a rise in the ransomware-as-a-service model. Meanwhile, social engineering tactics are evolving, expanding far beyond email to include coordinated attacks over web, phone, and collaboration platforms.
To combat these threats, it is recommended to deploy a series of proactive measures tailored to the evolving threat landscape:
- Revalidate Security Foundations for the AI Era: Security controls must be assessed and adapted to meet the speed and coordination of AI-driven attacks.
- Enable Secure AI Adoption: Visibility and governance should be applied to both sanctioned and unsanctioned AI usage to mitigate risks from data leakage and misuse.
- Protect the Digital Workspace: Security strategies must encompass all areas where human interaction and AI automation intersect, including collaboration tools and SaaS applications.
- Harden Edge and Infrastructure: Continuous inventory and security assessments of edge devices, VPNs, and IoT systems are crucial to reduce hidden vulnerabilities.
- Adopt a Prevention-First Approach: Shift to a prevention-led security model to counteract threats before lateral movement and data loss occur.
