Fortinet's Derek Manky: 2026 Cybersecurity Threat Predictions

As Cybercrime Industrializes, Defenders Should Implement AI-Driven Defenses to Stay Ahead Tom Field (SecurityEditor) • December 23, 2025

AI-powered agents are poised to accelerate cybercrime in 2026, and defenders must adapt to a rapidly industrializing threat ecosystem.

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The early signs of AI weaponization are already visible in tailored phishing and spear-phishing campaigns, investment scams and emerging crime-as-a-service markets, said Derek Manky, chief security strategist and global vice president of threat intelligence at Fortinet. Threat actors are now automating roles once handled by humans, which will have an effect on the volume, velocity and scale of attacks.

Manky urges other industry leaders to adopt AI-enabled defense models that pair automation with human expertise to keep pace with adversaries. “This blend of a human and machine defense approach can mean a much faster window than the time to attack we’re seeing ...