Cyber-enabled fraud has emerged as the leading concern for corporate executives, surpassing ransomware in a recent report from the World Economic Forum (WEF) released on Monday. According to the findings, nearly 73% of the executives surveyed indicated that cyber-enabled fraud had impacted them or someone they knew by 2025.
This report highlights a significant shift in the cybersecurity landscape, where the prevalent threat of simple yet effective cyber scams has taken precedence. By 2025, chief executives listed ransomware, cyber-enabled fraud, and disruptions in the supply chain as their primary cyber risks. However, by 2026, cyber-enabled fraud, vulnerabilities related to artificial intelligence (AI), and traditional software flaws had become the top three concerns.
Interestingly, the perception of risk varied among executives based on their organizations’ cyber resilience. In organizations deemed high-resilience, CEOs identified AI-related vulnerabilities as their foremost concern, followed by cyber fraud and supply-chain threats. Conversely, executives in lower-resilience organizations ranked cyber fraud as their top threat, with ransomware attacks and software vulnerabilities following closely. The report noted, “As resilience strengthens, risk perception shifts towards emerging threats,” indicating that organizations with enhanced resilience are increasingly aware of the risks posed by advanced technologies.
As apprehensions about AI continue to escalate, executives have highlighted a variety of specific challenges. Data leaks were cited by 30% of CEOs as a primary concern, followed by advancements made by hackers at 28% and security flaws within AI systems at 15%. Notably, only 6% of respondents acknowledged the vulnerabilities in the AI code supply chain, despite its growing significance as a risk.
The WEF report also emphasized the impact of geopolitical volatility on cybersecurity strategies, labeling it “a defining feature of cybersecurity.” Approximately 66% of CEOs reported that geopolitical factors had influenced their cyber strategies, a slight uptick from 2025. However, this figure marks a significant decrease from the 87% and 93% of executives expressing similar sentiments in 2024 and 2023, respectively. More than a third of companies reported a heightened focus on threat intelligence related to nation-state activity, with a similar percentage increasing their collaboration with government agencies and information-sharing groups.
Among the factors shaping corporate cyber strategies, executives pointed to nation-state cyberattacks on critical infrastructure, disinformation campaigns, and the convergence of information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT) as their chief concerns. Despite these challenges, only 37% of CEOs expressed confidence in their home countries’ ability to respond to major cyber incidents affecting critical infrastructure, a slight increase from 31% who lacked confidence. In 2025, 42% reported confidence while 26% were uncertain. The Middle East and North Africa displayed the highest confidence levels, where 84% of respondents felt assured in their governments’ readiness, contrasted with just 13% in Latin America and the Caribbean.
On the topic of operational technology security, the report revealed alarming statistics: only 32% of organizations monitored the security of their OT assets, just 20% maintained a dedicated OT security team, and a mere 16% indicated that their boards received reports regarding OT security.
While discussing regulations, the WEF found considerable support among executives, with nearly 60% asserting that regulations fostered greater company-wide and board-level security awareness. More than half noted that regulations contributed to enhanced security. Support was notably lower in North America and Europe, which are characterized by comprehensive cyber regulatory frameworks. The report suggested that “more advanced regulatory environments can also introduce greater complexity and compliance burdens.”
As organizations navigate this evolving cyber landscape, the recalibration of risk perception coupled with increasing regulatory support indicates a burgeoning awareness of the complex challenges that lie ahead. The growing focus on AI vulnerabilities and nation-state threats underscores the critical need for robust cybersecurity strategies that can adapt to a rapidly changing environment.
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