Cybersecurity reports highlight rising AI threats and vulnerability risks

Recent cybersecurity reports from Cybereason and Gen highlight evolving digital threats and vulnerabilities in the first half of 2026.

Cybereason’s analysis of 405 Japanese companies identified two primary causes for major security incidents: unmanaged devices (shadow IT) and software vulnerabilities. The company noted that while smaller enterprises tend to update operating systems more frequently, they often lack defined IT policies. Conversely, large corporations struggle with updates due to legacy custom systems or organizational gaps. The rise of frontier AI has significantly accelerated the speed at which attackers develop tools to exploit vulnerabilities, reducing the window for effective patching.

Simultaneously, Gen reported a global surge in cybercrimes disguised as everyday online services. Globally, attacks impersonating public institutions and family members saw massive increases. In Japan, there has been an explosive rise in fake content designed to trick users into installing malware, with detections of fraudulent software increasing by 942%.

A new frontier of risk identified by Gen involves attacks targeting the permissions of autonomous AI agents. Criminals are attempting to hijack these agents to execute system commands, download malicious code, or gain persistent remote access, marking a shift toward exploiting AI-driven capabilities.