E75 - When Attackers Move Faster Than You Can Think
Posted on January 27, 2026 • 3 min read • 479 words
2026: The Year Cybercrime Becomes a Machine
Fortinet’s 2026 Threat Predictions report delivers a sobering message: attackers aren’t just using AI—they’re deploying autonomous agents that hunt, breach, and monetize without human intervention. The attack lifecycle that once took days now takes hours. Sometimes minutes.
This isn’t evolution. It’s industrialization.
Cybercrime Goes Corporate
The most striking shift in Fortinet’s predictions isn’t a new technique—it’s a new business model. Cybercrime now operates like an enterprise, with specialized roles (malware developers, negotiators, cashiers) and automated workflows. Success is measured by throughput: speed from breach to monetization.
Ransomware affiliates will launch 10 attacks in the time it previously took to coordinate one.
INTEL [GLOBAL THREAT]: AI-powered “cyber agents” will execute end-to-end attacks—phishing, lateral movement, exfiltration—without human intervention. Defenders must now outpace machines, not people.
The MITRE ATT&CK Reality
Fortinet’s predictions map directly to techniques we’re already tracking:
| Prediction | MITRE Technique | What’s Changed |
|---|---|---|
| AI-driven attacks | T1059, T1566, T1590 | Now fully automated, adaptive in real-time |
| Industrialized ransomware | T1486, T1133 | Speed over sophistication—minutes to encryption |
| Cloud exploitation | T1078 (Valid Accounts) | AI scans for misconfigurations at scale |
The tactics are familiar. The velocity is not.
INTEL [ATTACK TECHNIQUE]: 70% of ransomware campaigns now combine T1486 (Data Encrypted for Impact) with T1133 (External Remote Services) for rapid initial access and encryption.
Cloud: The Wide-Open Door
Fortinet predicts over 60% of attacks will exploit cloud misconfigurations—exposed storage buckets, overly permissive IAM roles, forgotten API keys. Attackers are using AI to scan and exploit these gaps faster than security teams can audit them.
And here’s the uncomfortable truth: MFA alone won’t save you.
The report calls for continuous verification—behavioral biometrics, device telemetry, micro-segmentation—because static controls can’t match dynamic threats.
INTEL [GLOBAL RECOMMENDATION]: Implement continuous Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM) and adopt Zero Trust principles. The perimeter is gone; assume every access request is hostile until proven otherwise.
So What Should Organizations Actually Do?
This part doesn’t need theatrics—only clarity.
Deploy AI-driven threat hunting. If attackers use AI to find you, you need AI to find them first. UEBA and XDR aren’t optional anymore.
Automate your response playbooks. 70% of routine security tasks should be automated by year-end. SOAR platforms can isolate endpoints and reset credentials in seconds—faster than any human.
Harden your cloud posture. Run CSPM continuously, not quarterly. Enforce least-privilege IAM. Assume every misconfiguration will be found.
Train for speed, not just awareness. Your team needs to recognize and escalate in minutes, not hours. Tabletop exercises should include AI-driven attack scenarios.
And finally: The convergence of AI, automation, and cloud integration isn’t a strategy—it’s a survival requirement.
What We’re Watching
Fortinet’s concept of “AI Red Teaming”—using generative AI to simulate attacks and stress-test defenses—is emerging as a best practice. By 2026, organizations will test defenses against AI-simulated attacks in mirrored “digital twin” environments.
If you’re not attacking yourself with AI, someone else will.