CEOs Rank Cyber-Enabled Fraud Above Ransomware in 2026 WEF Outlook
World Economic Forum data shows executive concern shifting from ransomware to industrialized fraud as AI accelerates cyber risk globally.
Key points
- CEOs now identify cyber-enabled fraud as their primary cybersecurity concern, surpassing ransomware.
- The Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2026 highlights a widening resilience gap between large and small organizations.
- Seventy-three percent of respondents reported personal or network exposure to cyber-enabled fraud in 2025.
World Economic Forum leaders are reporting a significant shift in executive risk priorities, with CEOs now ranking cyber-enabled fraud above ransomware as their top cybersecurity concern. Akshay Joshi, Head of the Centre for Cybersecurity at the World Economic Forum, discussed these findings from the Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2026 in an interview with Help Net Security.
The report indicates that industrialized fraud has become deeply embedded in daily digital interactions. According to the survey data, 73% of respondents stated that they or someone in their network was personally affected by cyber-enabled fraud in 2025. Additionally, 77% reported an increase in fraud and phishing attempts, driving the elevated concern among corporate leadership regarding trust erosion in the digital economy.
Drivers of Changing Risk
Artificial intelligence is accelerating both offensive and defensive cyber operations, shifting activities from human-paced to machine-speed autonomy. Joshi noted that frontier AI models are reshaping the capabilities available to attackers and defenders alike. This technological acceleration is changing how security governance and oversight are structured. The speed and scale at which cyber risk unfolds now require better collaboration across sectors.
The World Economic Forum research found that 87% of respondents identify AI-related vulnerabilities as the fastest-growing cyber risk. Geopolitical fragmentation is also increasing systemic exposure, creating a trifecta of challenges alongside industrialized fraud. These factors are compelling organizations to rethink their approach to security resilience and public-private cooperation at scale.
Organizational Resilience Gaps
Joshi explained that a widening resilience gap exists between large and small organizations, as well as between different geographic regions. Skills shortages are exacerbating these disparities, making it difficult for smaller entities to keep pace with evolving threats. Addressing cyber-enabled fraud requires leaders to look beyond protecting their own internal networks.
Effective mitigation demands strengthened prevention, response, and collaboration across technology companies, financial institutions, telecommunications providers, governments, and law enforcement. Joshi offered advice for CEOs and boards on navigating this new phase of cyber risk, emphasizing the need to turn emerging technology into a source of resilience rather than just a vector for attack.
What should you do?
Security professionals should review current threat models to ensure they account for industrialized fraud and AI-driven risks. Organizations must assess their resilience against the widening gap between large and small entity defenses. Boards should prioritize cross-sector collaboration strategies to address systemic exposure from geopolitical fragmentation and autonomous cyber operations.
What to do and how to stay safe: World Economic Forum
- Update threat models to include cyber-enabled fraud and AI-related vulnerabilities as primary risks, per WEF findings.
- Establish cross-industry collaboration channels with financial and telecom partners to improve fraud prevention and response.
- Audit internal skills gaps to address the resilience disparity between large and small organizational defenses.
- Monitor for shifts in executive risk priorities, ensuring governance frameworks reflect the move from ransomware to fraud concerns.
Step-by-step guide: Social Engineering Warning Signs and How to Respond
General security guidance from the Threat Times newsroom. It is not confirmed advice from the organisations named in this story.
Frequently asked questions
What is the top cybersecurity concern for CEOs according to the 2026 WEF outlook?
CEOs now rank cyber-enabled fraud and phishing as their top concern, placing it above ransomware.
How prevalent is cyber-enabled fraud according to the survey?
Seventy-three percent of respondents said they or someone in their network was personally affected by cyber-enabled fraud in 2025.
What percentage of respondents see AI vulnerabilities as the fastest-growing risk?
According to the research, 87% of respondents identify AI-related vulnerabilities as the fastest-growing cyber risk.
