Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. (NASDAQ: CHKP) has unveiled its Cyber Security Report 2026, the company’s 14th annual examination of global cyber attack trends. The report reveals alarming statistics, indicating that organizations faced an average of 1,968 cyber attacks per week in 2025, representing a 70% increase since 2023. This surge is attributed to attackers increasingly utilizing automation and AI, which enable faster and more coordinated assaults across various channels.
“AI is changing the mechanics of cyber attacks, not just their volume,” stated Lotem Finkelstein, VP of Research at Check Point Software. He elaborated on how the integration of AI into cyber threat methodologies allows for greater operational efficiency, thereby complicating defenses against such threats. Capabilities that were once restricted to well-resourced threat actors are now widely accessible, allowing for more personalized and coordinated attacks against organizations of all sizes.
Key findings from the report highlight a distinct evolution toward integrated, multi-channel attack strategies. Notably, 89% of organizations reported encountering risky AI prompts, with approximately 1 in every 41 prompts classified as high risk. This trend raises new concerns as AI becomes embedded in routine business workflows. The report also details a troubling fragmentation in the ransomware landscape, with extorted victims increasing by 53% year-over-year and new ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) groups growing by 50%.
Social engineering attacks are also evolving, with ClickFix techniques surging by 500%. Attackers are expanding their tactics beyond traditional email phishing campaigns to include coordinated assaults across multiple platforms, including web, phone, and collaboration tools. This multifaceted approach is designed to exploit human trust, increasingly placing the digital workspace at risk of manipulation.
Moreover, the report underscores vulnerabilities in edge and infrastructure systems. An analysis conducted by Lakera, a Check Point company, reviewed 10,000 Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers and found security weaknesses in 40% of them. As AI systems and models become further integrated into enterprise environments, these vulnerabilities could lead to significant exposure.
In light of these findings, Check Point offers several recommendations for security leaders. First, organizations must revalidate security foundations for the AI era, as current defenses may not withstand the speed and automation of AI-driven attacks. Companies should also focus on enabling secure AI adoption by monitoring both sanctioned and unsanctioned AI usage to mitigate risks associated with high-risk prompts and data leakage.
In addition, protecting the digital workspace is essential as social engineering tactics increasingly intersect with AI-driven automation. This necessitates securing collaboration tools and SaaS applications to prevent exploitation. Furthermore, organizations should harden their edge and infrastructure by actively inventorying and securing unmonitored devices such as IoT systems and VPN appliances.
As cyber threats become more sophisticated and widespread, adopting a prevention-first approach is critical. Organizations must prioritize strategies that stop threats before they can escalate into data loss or extortion scenarios. Finally, unifying visibility across hybrid environments will help to reduce blind spots and enhance overall resilience.
The implications of this report are profound, underscoring a need for organizations to adapt their security frameworks in response to the dynamic threat landscape shaped by AI. The full Cyber Security Report 2026 is available for download, and Check Point plans to host a livestream discussing the report’s findings and recommendations in greater detail. Investors and stakeholders will likely keep a keen eye on how these evolving security challenges influence upcoming earnings, particularly on February 12, 2026, as organizations increasingly confront the ramifications of AI-driven cyber threats.
See also
Anthropic’s Claims of AI-Driven Cyberattacks Raise Industry Skepticism
Anthropic Reports AI-Driven Cyberattack Linked to Chinese Espionage
Quantum Computing Threatens Current Cryptography, Experts Seek Solutions
Anthropic’s Claude AI exploited in significant cyber-espionage operation
AI Poisoning Attacks Surge 40%: Businesses Face Growing Cybersecurity Risks
