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Global cyber attacks reached record levels in 2025 as artificial intelligence accelerated the scale and sophistication of threat activity, according to Check Point Software’s Cyber Security Report 2026. Organizations faced an average of 1,968 cyber attacks per week last year, a 70 percent increase compared with 2023.

The report, Check Point’s 14th annual analysis of global cyber trends, finds that attackers are increasingly combining automation, AI, and social engineering across multiple channels.

“AI is changing the mechanics of cyber attacks, not just their volume,” said Lotem Finkelstein, VP of Research at Check Point Software.

“We are seeing attackers move from purely manual operations to increasingly higher levels of automation, with early signs of autonomous techniques emerging. Defending against this shift requires revalidating security foundations for the AI era and stopping threats before they can propagate.”

Multi-channel campaigns and autonomous techniques

During a three-month period, 89 percent of organizations encountered risky AI prompts, with approximately one in every 41 prompts classified as high risk.

The ransomware ecosystem has decentralized into smaller, specialized groups, contributing to a 53 percent year-over-year increase in extorted victims and a 50 percent rise in new ransomware-as-a-service groups.

As AI becomes embedded in browsers, SaaS platforms, and collaboration tools, the digital workspace is emerging as a critical trust layer for attackers to exploit.

Infrastructure exposure and AI system risks

Unmonitored edge devices, VPN appliances, and IoT systems are increasingly used as operational relay points, allowing attackers to blend into legitimate network traffic.

New risks are emerging within AI infrastructure itself. An analysis conducted by Lakera, a Check Point company, identified security weaknesses in 40 percent of 10,000 Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers reviewed. The findings highlight increasing exposure as AI systems, models, and agents become embedded in enterprise environments.

Rethinking security for the AI era

According to Check Point, defending against AI-driven threats requires rethinking how security is designed and enforced, rather than simply reacting faster.

As AI becomes embedded in daily workflows, security teams should apply governance and visibility to both sanctioned and unsanctioned AI usage to reduce exposure from high-risk prompts, data leakage, and misuse.