New Year Means New Emerging Tech
In 2026, companies can expect cybersecurity to feel less like a collection of separate tools and more like an intelligent, always-on security fabric wrapped around their entire business.
One of the biggest shifts will be the rise of AI-driven defense as the default, not the exception. Security platforms will increasingly use machine learning to baseline “normal” behavior across users, devices, apps, and cloud workloads—then automatically respond when something looks incorrect. Instead of analysts manually chasing alerts, systems will quarantine suspicious accounts, block risky logins, and isolate compromised endpoints in real time, with humans validating and fine-tuning decisions.
There will also be rapid growth in Identity-First security. With hybrid work, SaaS sprawl, and contractors everywhere, the network perimeter is mostly gone. In 2026, expect more investment in password-less authentication (biometrics, hardware keys, passkeys), continuous verification of user behavior, and tighter enforcement of Least-Privilege Access. Zero Trust will move from buzzword to baseline as a design principle for new applications and infrastructure.
On the infrastructure side, Cloud-Native Security will mature further. Companies will rely more on tools that secure containers, serverless functions, and APIs from build to runtime. Expect security checks embedded directly into CI/CD pipelines, with automated "policy-as-code" controlling who can deploy what, where, when and how.
Another major trend will be the expansion of security for Artificial Intelligence itself. As businesses embed AI into Customer Service, Analytics, and Operations, attackers will target models and data pipelines by infecting training data, manipulating outputs, or abusing AI-powered features. By the end of this year, more tools will be focused on Model Monitoring, Data Integrity, and AI-Specific Threat Detection forming a new subdomain: AI Security.
For many organizations, Managed Detection and Response (MDR) and Co-Managed SOC services will become the practical way to stay current. Rather than developing everything in-house, companies will partner with providers who bring 24/7 Monitoring, Threat Hunting, and Incident Response backed by Global Threat Intelligence.
Finally, regulators and insurers will push for clearer cyber hygiene baselines, such as Verified Backups, MFA Everywhere, Tested Incident Response Plans, and Documented Security Controls. The companies that thrive in 2026 won’t just invest in new tools, they’ll combine emerging technologies with disciplined processes, training, and governance to create a culture where security is built in, not added on.
Contact the team at GCG to ensure your organization is ready for what's coming next!