For years, ransomware topped the list of executives’ cyber worries. The World Economic Forum’s Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2026 shows a shift: CEOs now rank cyber-enabled fraud as their top cyber risk, followed by vulnerabilities in AI and the exploitation of software flaws. Ransomware has dropped out of their top three, although it remains the main fear of security chiefs.
It is personal
73% of CEOs said they were personally affected by cyber-enabled fraud in 2025, or knew a business leader who was. 77% said fraud had increased over the past year, and 87% reported an increase in AI-related vulnerabilities.
Higher on the agenda
PwC’s 2026 Global CEO Survey confirms the trend: 31% of CEOs see cyber risk as a major threat, up from 24% a year earlier, and 84% plan to strengthen cybersecurity across the enterprise. There are signs of progress: 64% of organisations now assess the security of AI tools before deploying them, up from 37% a year ago, according to the WEF.
What leaders can do
- Assume you are a target: senior leaders are the people fraudsters impersonate and approach.
- Agree a verification rule for urgent payment or data requests, and follow it yourself.
- Set clear rules for employees’ use of generative AI; unintended data exposure is now a leading AI concern.
Sources
- SecurityWeek: Cyber fraud overtakes ransomware as top CEO concern — WEF
- PwC: 29th Global CEO Survey (January 2026)
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