Science & Tech · Cybersecurity · 2 hrs ago
Cyber fraud now ranks above ransomware as CEOs’ top concern
Akshay Joshi, who leads the World Economic Forum’s Centre for Cybersecurity, discussed findings from the Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2026.
The findings say 73% of respondents or someone in their network had been affected by cyber-enabled fraud in 2025, and 77% reported an increase in fraud and phishing.
CEOs now rank fraud and phishing as a greater cyber concern than ransomware.
The interview also highlights AI-related vulnerabilities and geopolitical tensions as growing risks for organizations.
Joshi said 87% of respondents see AI-related vulnerabilities as the fastest-growing cyber risk, while 91% of the largest organizations have changed their cybersecurity strategies in response to geopolitical volatility.
These threats can affect customers, employees and critical infrastructure, and weaken trust in digital services.
Joshi called for cooperation among governments, regulators and industry, stronger security controls for AI, and using AI to help defenders detect and respond to threats.
CEOs now rank cyber-enabled fraud and phishing above ransomware as their top cyber concern, according to the Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2026.
The report says 73% of respondents or someone in their network had been affected by cyber-enabled fraud in 2025.
Another 77% of respondents reported an increase in fraud and phishing.
Akshay Joshi of the World Economic Forum says industrialized fraud, AI and geopolitical fragmentation are changing the speed and scale of cyber risk.
He says tackling fraud requires cooperation among technology companies, financial institutions, telecommunications providers, governments and law enforcement.
- Who
- CEOs, whose concerns are described in the Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2026.
- What
- Cyber-enabled fraud and phishing now rank above ransomware as CEOs’ top cyber concern.
- When
- The report describes experiences and trends in 2025; the interview was published on October 12, 2026.
- Where
- Not stated
- Why
- Fraud affects customers, employees and organizations and erodes trust in the digital economy.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Unsurprisingly, CEOs now rank cyber-enabled fraud and phishing as their top cyber concern, ahead of ransomware.
73% of respondents said they or someone in their network had been personally affected by cyber-enabled fraud in 2025, while 77% reported an increase in fraud and phishing.
Addressing it therefore requires leaders to look beyond protecting their own networks and strengthen prevention, response, and collaboration across technology companies, financial institutions, telecommunications providers, governments and law enforcement.
73% of respondents said they or someone in their network had been personally affected by cyber-enabled fraud, and 77% reported an increase in fraud and phishing.
The Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2026 reported that CEOs rank cyber-enabled fraud and phishing above ransomware as their top cyber concern.
Help Net Security published its interview with Akshay Joshi about cybersecurity risks and the report’s findings.
- Top concern
- Cyber-enabled fraud and phishing, ahead of ransomware
- Personally affected
- 73% of respondents or someone in their network in 2025
- Fraud and phishing increase
- 77% of respondents
- Report
- Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2026
- Interview subject
- Akshay Joshi, World Economic Forum
- Publication date
- October 12, 2026
Sources
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