Cyber Fraud Surpasses Ransomware as Top Business Concern
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Cyber fraud, particularly phishing, has overtaken ransomware as the primary cybersecurity concern for business leaders, according to the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Global Cybersecurity Outlook for 2026. The report highlights the pervasive nature of cyber-enabled fraud, which is causing significant financial losses and undermining trust in systems. Phishing attacks, including email, voice (vishing), and SMS (smishing), are the most commonly reported form of cyber fraud, affecting 62% of respondents. Other notable threats include invoice or payment fraud (37%), identity fraud (32%), insider threats (20%), and romance or impersonation scams (17%). The rise of AI-powered cyber threats is also a key concern, with 87% of respondents experiencing increased AI-related vulnerabilities in the past year.
Timeline
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12.01.2026 16:10 1 articles · 23h ago
Cyber Fraud Overtakes Ransomware as Top Business Concern
The World Economic Forum’s Global Cybersecurity Outlook for 2026 reports that cyber fraud, particularly phishing, has become the primary cybersecurity concern for business leaders. The report highlights the pervasive nature of cyber-enabled fraud, affecting 77% of respondents, and the rising risks posed by AI-powered cyber threats.
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- World Economic Forum: Cyber-fraud overtakes ransomware as business leaders' top cyber-security concern — www.infosecurity-magazine.com — 12.01.2026 16:10
Information Snippets
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77% of global business leaders reported an increase in cyber-enabled fraud and phishing.
First reported: 12.01.2026 16:101 source, 1 articleShow sources
- World Economic Forum: Cyber-fraud overtakes ransomware as business leaders' top cyber-security concern — www.infosecurity-magazine.com — 12.01.2026 16:10
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62% of respondents were aware of someone in their network being affected by a phishing attack.
First reported: 12.01.2026 16:101 source, 1 articleShow sources
- World Economic Forum: Cyber-fraud overtakes ransomware as business leaders' top cyber-security concern — www.infosecurity-magazine.com — 12.01.2026 16:10
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37% of respondents reported being affected by invoice or payment fraud, commonly used in business email compromise (BEC) campaigns.
First reported: 12.01.2026 16:101 source, 1 articleShow sources
- World Economic Forum: Cyber-fraud overtakes ransomware as business leaders' top cyber-security concern — www.infosecurity-magazine.com — 12.01.2026 16:10
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32% of respondents knew of an organization in their network affected by cyber-attacks involving identity fraud.
First reported: 12.01.2026 16:101 source, 1 articleShow sources
- World Economic Forum: Cyber-fraud overtakes ransomware as business leaders' top cyber-security concern — www.infosecurity-magazine.com — 12.01.2026 16:10
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20% of respondents reported insider threat or employee-led fraud causing disruption.
First reported: 12.01.2026 16:101 source, 1 articleShow sources
- World Economic Forum: Cyber-fraud overtakes ransomware as business leaders' top cyber-security concern — www.infosecurity-magazine.com — 12.01.2026 16:10
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17% of respondents reported concerns about romance or impersonation scams.
First reported: 12.01.2026 16:101 source, 1 articleShow sources
- World Economic Forum: Cyber-fraud overtakes ransomware as business leaders' top cyber-security concern — www.infosecurity-magazine.com — 12.01.2026 16:10
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17% of respondents reported concerns about cryptocurrency and investment fraud.
First reported: 12.01.2026 16:101 source, 1 articleShow sources
- World Economic Forum: Cyber-fraud overtakes ransomware as business leaders' top cyber-security concern — www.infosecurity-magazine.com — 12.01.2026 16:10
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87% of respondents experienced rising AI-related vulnerabilities last year.
First reported: 12.01.2026 16:101 source, 1 articleShow sources
- World Economic Forum: Cyber-fraud overtakes ransomware as business leaders' top cyber-security concern — www.infosecurity-magazine.com — 12.01.2026 16:10
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94% of leaders expect AI to be the biggest force shaping cybersecurity in 2026.
First reported: 12.01.2026 16:101 source, 1 articleShow sources
- World Economic Forum: Cyber-fraud overtakes ransomware as business leaders' top cyber-security concern — www.infosecurity-magazine.com — 12.01.2026 16:10