Kaspersky has identified artificial intelligence (AI)-powered cyberattacks, web-based threats and increasingly sophisticated ransomware as the dominant cybersecurity risks across the Middle East, Türkiye and Africa (META) during the first half of 2026.
The findings were presented by the company's Global Research & Analysis Team (GReAT) during the recent Cyber Security Weekend for the META region.
According to Kaspersky, the rapid adoption of AI, combined with geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainty, is accelerating cybercrime and increasing the sophistication of attacks targeting organisations and individuals.
The company's telemetry showed that cyber threats exploiting vulnerabilities in websites, emails and web services continued to affect millions of users across the region in the first six months of 2026.
Kaspersky's detection systems blocked 5.7 million attacks originating from online resources in South Africa, 4.5 million in Kenya and 1.6 million in Nigeria during the period.
Türkiye recorded the highest proportion of users affected by web-based threats at 22.8 per cent, followed by Kenya (21.2 per cent), Qatar (19.3 per cent), Nigeria (18.4 per cent) and South Africa (17.2 per cent). Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Pakistan recorded the lowest share of users targeted by web-borne attacks in the region.
AI reshaping cyberattacks
Kaspersky researchers said cybercriminals are increasingly integrating AI into multiple stages of their operations, with large language models now being used to generate phishing emails, malicious software and other operational content.
The company noted that AI is also becoming a significant tool in malware development, enabling threat actors to create malicious software more quickly by generating code frameworks and functional modules.
Researchers observed AI-assisted malware development in campaigns linked to the FunkSec group, which deployed Rust-based malware capable of stealing data, encrypting files and manipulating system processes. Similarly, during the RevengeHotels campaign in 2025, attackers used large language models to generate sections of infector and downloader code.
"We expect AI to remain one of the key factors shaping the threat landscape in 2026, as we already see how it is reshaping attacker workflows and accelerating their operations," said Sergey Lozhkin, Head of Global Research and Analysis Team in APAC and META regions at Kaspersky.
"By lowering the time and cost required to develop and adapt malicious tools, AI allows threat actors to iterate faster and scale their efforts. Defenders should be prepared for quicker shifts in tactics."
Key cybersecurity trends
Beyond the growing use of AI by cybercriminals, Kaspersky highlighted several emerging trends organisations should monitor closely.
These include AI-driven malware that can be rewritten across multiple programming languages and system architectures to evade detection, and increased use of legitimate cloud storage and file-sharing platforms to conceal stolen data within normal network traffic.
The company also warned that ransomware groups are increasingly disrupting business operations rather than focusing solely on encrypting data, intensifying pressure on victims to pay.
Kaspersky further identified AI agents as a potential new security risk. Because some AI agents operate with extensive system privileges, attackers who compromise them could alter configurations or system prompts, enabling malicious payloads to be downloaded automatically during every system start-up.
In addition, compromised AI skills are emerging as a new attack vector, allowing attackers to manipulate AI agent behaviour, steal sensitive information, execute unauthorised actions and maintain persistent access to enterprise environments.
To counter these evolving threats, Kaspersky urged organisations to strengthen cybersecurity through continuous vulnerability management, prompt software patching, employee awareness training, threat intelligence and advanced security technologies capable of detecting sophisticated and AI-assisted attacks.
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