GlobeNewswire·Apr 30, 2026, 9:09 AM ET

The Fortinet 2026 Global Threat Landscape Report Reveals a Surge in AI-Enabled Cybercrime, Contributing to a 389% Increase in Ransomware Victims Year-over-Year

FTNT

Fortinet released the 2026 Global Threat Landscape Report, analyzing 2025 cyberattack trends using MITRE ATT&CK framework data.
Cybercrime now operates as an end-to-end system with compressed attack lifecycles driven by shadow agents & agentic AI.
Time-to-exploit (TTE) for critical outbreaks has shrunk to 24–48 hours, down from 4.76 days in previous reports.
Ransomware victims increased 389% year-over-year to 7,831 confirmed global cases, with manufacturing, business services, & retail as top targets.
Cloud incidents in 2025 were primarily caused by stolen, exposed, or misused credentials rather than infrastructure exploitation.
Hospitals, physician clinics, & retail establishments are identified as the #1 targets for identity-related cloud exposure.
AI-enabled offensive tools like HexStrike AI & BruteForceAI have reduced operator skill requirements while increasing workflow speed.
Global brute force attempts decreased 22% year-over-year due to AI optimization, totaling approximately 67.65 billion events with a 25.49% rise in exploitation attempts.
Stealer logs now dominate dark web data sharing at 67.12%, surpassing combolists & leaked credentials due to bundled identity material.
RedLine, Lumma, & Vidar malware remain the primary drivers of credential-stealing infections globally.
INTERPOL & Fortinet collaborated on Operation Red Card 2.0 to dismantle cybercriminal networks behind online scams & mobile money fraud in Africa.
Fortinet & Crime Stoppers International launched the Cybercrime Bounty program to enable anonymous threat reporting by citizens & ethical hackers.
Fortinet continues its founding membership in the Cybercrime Atlas to map criminal networks & support joint disruption operations with law enforcement.