Fraud Tops Ransomware in WEF's 2026 Cybersecurity Outlook

Findings From WEF's 2026 Report Show Shifting Cyber Priorities as AI Reshapes Risk Yamini Kalra • January 20, 2026

Cyber-enabled fraud has overtaken ransomware as the top cybersecurity concern for CEOs heading into 2026, according to the World Economic Forum's Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2026, released ahead of the Davos annual meeting.

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The report found that boards are increasingly preoccupied with the direct financial and reputational impact of fraud, with 73% of respondents reporting that they or someone in their network experienced cyber-enabled fraud in 2025. Ransomware, which topped CEO concerns in 2025, has dropped out of the top three for business leaders, but CISOs continue to name it as their primary concern, followed ...