New Year, New Threats: Cyber Experts Break Down 5 Digital Dangers in 2026
F-Secure Predicts Rising Scam Centers, AI Vulnerabilities, and Synthetic Identity Fraud Will Dominate the Cyber Threat Landscape
LOS ANGELES, Jan. 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- As 2026 begins, global cyber security leader F-Secure's threat intelligence experts are issuing stark warnings about the evolving digital threat landscape. From government crackdowns on international scam operations to AI agents falling victim to fraud, these predictions reveal how criminals are adapting faster than ever and why consumer protection must evolve just as quickly.
1. Scam Centers Become a Defining Cyber Security Battleground in 2026
Prediction by: Megan Squire, Ph.D., U.S. Threat Intelligence Researcher
In 2026, industrial-scale scam centers operating out of Southeast Asia will become one of the most visible and politically charged cyber security threats facing the U.S. The newly formed Scam Center Strike Force, a joint effort between the U.S. Attorney's Office, DOJ, FBI, and Secret Service, has already seized more than $400 million in cryptocurrency and dismantled major scam infrastructure linked to Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar.
"These scam centers represent a massive wealth transfer from American families to organized crime," said Dr. Squire. "Nearly $10 billion is stolen from Americans every year, and what's different now is the coordinated effort to dismantle not just the scammers, but the entire ecosystem that enables them, including U.S.-based internet infrastructure."
The threat extends beyond financial loss. Many workers inside these compounds are victims of human trafficking, forced to carry out fraud under coercion. While enforcement is accelerating, experts warn that lasting success will require sustained international cooperation and deeper public-private partnerships to prevent platforms and internet services from being weaponized to commit cybercrime.
2. Agentic AI Redefines Cyber Risk When Software Starts Acting on Our Behalf
Prediction by: Timo Laaksonen, President and CEO
In 2026, agentic AI will fundamentally reshape the digital threat landscape. These systems will no longer just assist users, but act independently, making decisions, moving money, and interacting with services on our behalf. That shift introduces a new class of cyber risk, where software becomes both the operator and the victim.
"When AI systems are trusted to act autonomously, the security challenge changes completely," said Laaksonen. "It's no longer enough to protect people from making bad decisions online. We now have to protect AI systems that make those decisions for them, often at machine speed and without human intuition."
Agentic AI lacks the contextual judgment humans rely on to detect manipulation, deception, or social engineering. As adoption accelerates across consumer and business services, attackers will focus on exploiting decision logic rather than user behavior. This makes security, oversight, and clearly defined limits on AI autonomy critical foundations for the next phase of digital life.
3. AI Shopping Assistants Turn Convenience Into a New Scam Surface
Prediction by: Abdullah Al Mazed, Head of Protection Concept Lab, and Tony Shepherd, Senior AI & Data Scientist
In 2026, AI-powered shopping assistants will become one of the most attractive new targets for online fraud. Agentic browsers and embedded AI tools are already being positioned to automate product discovery, price comparisons, and purchasing across multiple retailers, promising consumers a faster and easier shopping experience.
"The convenience is real, but the exposure is growing just as fast," said Mazed. "Shopping assistants operate across untrusted sites, handle sensitive data, and make decisions on behalf of users. That combination creates an ideal environment for scams."
These systems can be steered toward fraudulent storefronts that closely mimic legitimate retailers, or manipulated into approving unauthorized purchases. Because AI shopping assistants often operate with elevated permissions across many sites, a single compromise can expose payment credentials and personal data at scale. As adoption grows, securing these tools will require safeguards designed specifically for automated commerce, not retrofitted consumer protections.
4. Synthetic Identity Fraud Reaches Industrial Scale
Prediction by: Bill Lott, Senior Product Marketing Manager, Embedded Security
In 2026, criminals will increasingly use AI to create synthetic identities by blending stolen real data with fabricated details to form entirely new personas that pass verification checks, open bank accounts, and secure loans. Research already shows individuals willingly selling their identities, giving criminals legitimate credentials to exploit.
"AI has made synthetic identity fraud far more convincing and scalable," said Lott. "Criminals can now generate fake documents, bypass video and photo ID checks, and build credit histories that appear legitimate across multiple systems."
The impact is already measurable. More than 6.4 million identity theft and fraud reports are estimated to have been sent to the Federal Trade Commission over the last year. Financial institutions face mounting pressure to adopt multi-layered verification capable of detecting these hybrid identities. Meanwhile, individuals who sell their credentials risk legal liability for crimes and debts committed in their name, creating victims on both sides of the fraud.
5. Digital Service Providers Face a Billion-Dollar Cyber Security Moment of Truth
Prediction by: Fredrik Torstensson, Chief Partner Business Officer
In 2026, digital service providers will face a clear choice: become trusted digital guardians or lose ground in a billion-dollar cyber security market. New research from F-Secure and Omdia shows cyber security has shifted from a value-add to a core consumer expectation, and providers that fail to deliver risk customer churn.
"Providers have unmatched scale and trust," said Torstensson. "With scam rates doubling in the past year, consumers now expect their provider to be their first line of defense. This isn't just a growth opportunity. It's a responsibility."
The data are decisive. 71% of consumers prefer or would consider security services from their provider's app, and cyber security now ranks as the most likely value-added service people are willing to pay for, alongside speed guarantees. Providers embedding protection into their core apps see 57% higher engagement and stronger brand value. In 2026, cyber security will not be optional. It will define customer loyalty and competitive advantage.
The Big Picture
Taken together, F-Secure's 2026 predictions point to a single, unavoidable reality: cyber crime is evolving faster than the systems designed to stop it. From industrial-scale scam centers and synthetic identities to AI systems that act, decide, and transact on our behalf, the threat landscape is becoming more automated, more convincing, and more difficult for individuals to navigate alone.
The common thread across these risks is scale. Criminals are no longer targeting users one by one. They are exploiting infrastructure, automation, and trust at industrial levels, often faster than human intervention allows. As technology becomes more autonomous, security must become more proactive, embedded, and capable of operating at the same speed.
For consumers, this means protection can no longer be optional or reactive. For service providers and platform owners, it means security is now a defining part of the digital experience and a core measure of trust. In 2026, those who treat cyber security as foundational, not an add-on, will be best positioned to protect users and to lead in an increasingly automated world.
About F-Secure
F-Secure makes every digital moment more secure, for everyone. We deliver brilliantly simple, frictionless security experiences that make life easier for the tens of millions of people we protect and for our more than 200 service provider partners. For over 35 years, we've led the cyber security industry, inspired by a pioneering spirit born out of a shared commitment to do better by working together.
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SOURCE F-Secure
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