Moody’s warns of rising AI cyber risks, regulatory gaps in 2026

Cybersecurity Dive reports that Moody's has warned that 2026 will bring more advanced AI-driven cyberattacks and continued challenges in aligning cybersecurity regulations across major regions.

The 2026 outlook report predicts that attackers will increasingly use AI to launch more dangerous and targeted attacks, including deepfakes, adaptive malware, and AI agents that speed up hacking activities. Moody's also expects an increase in cryptocurrency thefts linked to attacks on storage and transaction platforms. It noted that recent cloud outages caused by accidents show how severe the impact could be if similar weaknesses were deliberately exploited.

While AI-based security tools may help defenders, the firm cautioned that they also introduce new risks, such as unpredictable behavior and errors, making strong oversight essential. Fully autonomous malware is not expected for another three to five years. On regulation, Moody's highlighted widening differences between the EU, which favors coordinated frameworks, and the U.S., where some regulatory efforts are being rolled back or delayed, making global alignment difficult.