Cybersecurity firm Forrester recently issued its annual report, Top Cybersecurity Threats in 2026, which outlines “the most critical risks organizations need to plan for.”
The report predicts the top threats that organizations will face in 2026 based on recent trends and observations. The top five threats expected in 2026 include:
- Near autonomous attacks from a nation-state.
- Concerns over agent threats.
- Non-negotiable AI software supply chain.
- Provenance and IAM risks of AI agents.
- Digital sovereignty spans regions and tech stacks.
The threats listed above stem from the widespread accessibility of AI models and the ability for AI tools and AI agents to ingest vast amounts of data, learn from it, and operate at unprecedented speed and scale. These capabilities enable the automation and expansion of increasingly sophisticated cybersecurity attacks, the use of shadow AI beyond an organization’s governance and visibility, and heightened supply chain risks. Together, these challenges create significant compliance concerns, reduce organizational control, and increase overall cybersecurity exposure.
The report outlines the most significant risks organizations face in 2026, including the growing challenges posed by AI, and underscores the importance of implementing a robust AI governance program as a critical strategic priority