The growing adoption of Artificial Intelligence highlights the need for strong governance.
The chaotic growth of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Geopolitical tensions, regulatory volatility, and an increasingly rapid threat landscape are the forces driving the main... cybersecurity trends for 2026, according to Gartner, Inc.., a business insights and technology company.
“Cybersecurity leaders are navigating uncharted territory this year as these forces converge, testing the limits of their teams in an environment defined by constant change,” he says. Alex Michaels, "This requires new approaches to cyber risk management, resilience, and resource allocation," says Gartner's Director Analyst.
The following six trends will have a broad impact on the transformation of governance, the protection of new frontiers, and the normalization of AI adoption.
Trend 1: Agency AI requires cybersecurity oversight.
THE Agentic AI It is being rapidly adopted by employees and developers, creating new attack surfaces. Platforms no-code/low-code and the so-called vibe coding They further expand this scenario, driving the proliferation of unmanaged AI agents, insecure code, and potential regulatory compliance violations.
“While AI agents and automation tools are becoming increasingly accessible and practical for organizations to adopt, strong governance remains essential,” says Michaels. “Cybersecurity leaders must identify sanctioned and unsanctioned AI agents, apply robust controls to each, and develop incident response playbooks to address potential risks.”.
Trend 2: Global regulatory volatility drives cyber resilience efforts.
Changes in the geopolitical landscape and evolving global demands have made cybersecurity a critical business risk, with direct implications for organizational resilience. With regulators increasingly holding boards of directors and executives accountable for compliance failures, inaction can result in substantial penalties, lost business, and irreversible reputational damage.
Gartner advises cybersecurity leaders to formalize collaboration between legal, commercial, and procurement teams to establish clear accountability for cyber risk. Aligning control frameworks with recognized standards and addressing concerns about data sovereignty will help reduce compliance gaps.
Trend 3: Post-quantum computing advances toward action plans.
Gartner predicts that advances in quantum computing will render asymmetric cryptography, which organizations rely on to protect data and systems, insecure by 2030. Post-quantum cryptography alternatives should be adopted now to avoid potential data breaches, legal liability, and financial losses resulting from "harvest now, decrypt later" attacks.Harvest now, decrypt later.), targeting sensitive long-term data.
“"Post-quantum cryptography is reshaping..." cybersecurity strategies, ”This is leading organizations to identify, manage, and replace traditional encryption methods, while prioritizing cryptographic agility,“ says Michaels. ”By investing in these capabilities and prioritizing migration now, assets will be protected when quantum threats become a reality.”.
Trend 4: Identity and access management adapts to AI agents.
The rise of AI agents This is introducing new challenges to traditional identity and access management (IAM) strategies, particularly in identity registration and governance, credential automation, and policy-based authorization for non-human agents. The inability to address these issues will lead to a greater risk of cybersecurity incidents related to access, as autonomous agents become more prevalent.
Gartner recommends adopting a targeted, risk-based approach, investing where gaps and risks are greatest, while leveraging automation where possible. This is essential to enable innovation, ensure compliance, and protect critical assets in AI-centric environments.
Trend 5: AI-based SOC solutions destabilize operational norms.
Driven by cost optimization practices and growing interest in AI, the rise of AI-enabled security operations centers (SOCs) is introducing new complexity. This is contributing to hiring pressures, increased retraining requirements, and evolving cost considerations for AI tools, even as these technologies improve alert triage and investigation workflows.
“"To realize the full potential of AI ”In security operations, cybersecurity leaders must prioritize both people and technology,“ says Michaels. ”Strengthening workforce capabilities, implementing human interaction frameworks in AI-supported processes, and aligning adoption with clear strategic objectives will be critical to maintaining resilience as SOCs evolve.”.
Trend 6: GenAI breaks with traditional cybersecurity awareness tactics.
Existing security awareness efforts continue to fail to reduce cybersecurity risks, as adoption of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) Accelerates. A Gartner survey of 175 employees, conducted between May and November 2025, indicates that more than 57% use personal GenAI accounts for work purposes and 33% admit to entering confidential information into unapproved tools.
Gartner recommends migrating from generic awareness training to adaptive behavioral and skills-based training programs that include specific AI-related tasks. Strengthening governance, incorporating safe practices, and establishing policies for authorized use will reduce exposure to privacy breaches and loss of intellectual property.
Topics such as this and others related to cybersecurity trends will be addressed during the event. Gartner Conference Security & Risk Management, which takes place on August 4th and 5th, in São Paulo (SP).
Gartner customers can read more at “Top Trends in Cybersecurity for 2026”Learn how to maximize the value of AI while managing critical risks with the free e-book “AI in Cybersecurity: Minimize Risks and Maximize Impact”.
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About the Gartner Security & Risk Management Conference
Gartner analysts will present the latest insights for security and risk management leaders during the Gartner Security & Risk Management Conferences, which will be held on March 9th and 10th in [location missing from original text]. Mumbai (India), March 16 and 17 Sydney (Australia), June 1-3 National Harbor (United States), July 22-24 Tokyo (Japan), August 4 and 5 Sao Paulo (Brazil) and September 22-24 in London (United Kingdom). Follow the news and updates from the conferences at X and LinkedIn using #GartnerSEC.
About the Conference Gartner Data & Analytics
Gartner analysts will provide further analysis on Data and Analytics trends at the Gartner Data & Analytics Conferences, which will take place from March 9-11 in [location missing from original text].Orlando(United States), April 28 and 29Sao Paulo(Brazil), May 11-13London(United Kingdom), May 19-21Tokyo(Japan), June 16 and 17 inSydney(Australia) and September 21 and 22 inMumbai(India). Follow the news and updates from the conference atXandLinkedInusing#GartnerDA.
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