Cloudflare, Inc. predicts that 2026 will be defined by AI attacks, zero trust, and SaaS disruptions.
“AI is continuing to redefine the threat landscape in Hong Kong,” said Xavier Xuhui Cai, area vice president, Greater China and general manager at Cloudflare China. “As we move into 2026 and beyond, organisations must remain vigilant against evolving security challenges and stay resilient amid growing digital complexities.
2026 predictions
Highlights of the 2026 predictions include the following:
- AI becoming an autonomous force multiplier: This year will be the year of real AI attacks, with malicious players shifting to launch malicious campaigns through vibe coding, and increasingly using AI as a teacher or trainer. This will help attackers conduct reconnaissance, allowing them to gather critical information about a target and create specialised tools for scanning and exploitation.
- Industrial AI goes mainstream: AI models will constantly drive operations by running machines and optimising systems in real-time, and requiring significant security upgrades.
- The premature death of SaaS—and the rise of AI-as-a-service: From Software as a Service, the focus will shift to AI-as-a-Service, with companies demanding smart, real-time, and customised Software.
- To reduce operational complexity and costs, instead of ad-hoc solutions, companies will shift towards consolidated bundles that secure entire environments, rather than individual applications.
- AI adoption will lead customers to rethink data usage, identity protection, and application connectivity across cloud environments. Partners that offer secure architectures for AI workflows and can quickly adapt to customer needs will be favoured by organisations undergoing modernisation.
Mitigating risks
Cai added that companies can mitigate risks, limit potential damage, and safeguard their operations by adopting zero-trust and least-privilege approaches.
