Pavel Mishchenko

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Artificial intelligence has fundamentally changed cybersecurity—not just for defenders but also for attackers. AI can now generate convincing phishing campaigns, rapidly mutate malware and automate reconnaissance at a scale that would have required large teams only a few years ago. As attack velocity accelerates, many organizations are discovering that even mature detection and response capabilities struggle to keep pace.That shift is forcing security leaders to rethink longstanding assumptions. Members of the Senior Executive Cybersecurity Think Tank, a community of experienced cybersecurity executives and practitioners, argue that future-ready organizations will succeed not by responding faster, but by preventing more attacks from succeeding in the first place.According to IBM's Cost of a Data Breach Report, organizations that combine AI-driven security with proactive risk reduction significantly reduce both breach costs and response times, reinforcing the business value of moving security "left" before attackers gain a foothold.Below, Think Tank members share practical strategies for moving beyond reactive security, highlighting the technologies, processes and leadership mindset needed to stay ahead of these AI-powered threats.

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Vulnerability management used to depend on a familiar rhythm: A new flaw was disclosed, public databases added analysis and security teams worked through the queue by severity. That model is now straining under its own weight. Vulnerability disclosures keep climbing, but the National Vulnerability Database has faced a significant operational breakdown: Beginning in early 2024, NIST sharply slowed enrichment of new CVE entries, and in April 2026, NIST formally announced it would no longer enrich all CVE entries, moving to a triage model that leaves the majority of submissions without scores, metadata or supporting analysis.Security leaders need to rethink defensive strategies, from monitoring to remediation. Even with the help of automation, teams with limited resources can’t approach every vulnerability with equal urgency, and waiting for more complete information can leave a business exposed while attackers keep moving. Security teams must learn to weigh new vulnerabilities in terms of the organization’s real environment, operational priorities and potential business impact. In a world of incomplete signals, security leaders need a sharper sense of which risks matter now, which can wait and which require a different kind of control altogether. Members of the Senior Executive Cybersecurity Think Tank are leaders in enterprise cybersecurity strategies, data breach prevention, risk management and modern security architecture. Below, they share how organizations can rethink vulnerability risk assessment as public data becomes less complete and focus attention where it can have the greatest protective impact.

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Cybersecurity leaders have never had the luxury of moving slowly, but the second half of 2026 may test even the most mature security teams. AI is accelerating both sides of the fight: Attackers can find vulnerabilities, craft more convincing scams and move faster, while businesses (and employees) are racing to embed AI into products, workflows and everyday operations. That combination raises the stakes for every leader responsible for protecting data, systems, customers and trust.The challenge isn’t just technical. As cyber risk spreads across engineering, finance, operations, legal, HR, procurement and executive teams, the old model of security as a separate checkpoint no longer fits how businesses actually run. The organizations that handle this next phase successfully will need to rethink cybersecurity as a shared operating discipline, not a last-minute review, compliance exercise, or problem for one department or leader to solve alone.Members of the Senior Executive Cybersecurity Think Tank have deep expertise in enterprise cybersecurity strategies, risk management, threat detection and cybersecurity leadership. Below, a group of them discusses what they see as the biggest cybersecurity challenges for leaders in the second half of 2026 and how organizations move from reactive defense to enterprisewide resilience.

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Critical infrastructure is where cyber risk stops being abstract. When power grids, water systems, transportation networks, hospitals or financial systems are disrupted, the fallout isn’t limited to one company’s operations or balance sheet. It can affect public safety, economic stability and trust in the systems people rely on every day.That’s why a recent World Economic Forum survey should get leaders’ attention: 31% of global CEOs lack confidence that their country could respond effectively to a major cyberattack on critical infrastructure. But that lack of confidence may not reflect doubts about governments’ readiness alone. Many leaders may also be recognizing security gaps closer to home, from aging systems and complex vendor networks to crisis plans that haven’t been tested under real pressure. In a recent survey of senior leaders, 48% said the potential emergency they felt least prepared for was a cybersecurity crisis. Preparedness requires much more than policy statements, compliance checklists or well-intentioned plans stored in a shared drive. Leaders across industries and nations need a clearer understanding of how decisions will be made, who will act first and how organizations, sector partners and public agencies will coordinate when minutes matter.Members of the Senior Executive Cybersecurity Think Tank have deep expertise in enterprise cybersecurity strategies, risk management and modern security architecture. Below, seven of them share what’s driving leaders’ declining confidence in cyber resilience and what practical steps could strengthen preparedness at both organizational and national levels.