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News Brief: Future of Security Holds Bigger Budgets, New Threats
**As the world hurtles towards a new year, executives and lawmakers are bracing themselves for a mixed forecast in the realm of cybersecurity. While there is optimism about the future of security, there are also concerns about emerging threats.
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A Glimmer of Hope: Cybersecurity Budgets to Rise Globally
**In a welcome development, a survey by Marsh has found that two-thirds of organizations globally plan to increase their investments in cyber-risk prevention in 2026. At least one in four intends to boost spending by more than 25%. The key areas of focus for these increased investments are security technology, incident response, and hiring.
In the UK, firms are leading the charge, driven by recent high-profile cyberattacks on British retailers and automaker Jaguar Land Rover. The report highlights the prevalence of third-party security incidents, with 70% of organizations experiencing at least one in the past year. Experts emphasize the importance of vetting and frequently auditing vendor cybersecurity, negotiating contractual protections, and actively managing vendor access to IT systems.
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Sens. Hassan and Ernst Sound Alarm on AI-Driven Cybersecurity Threats
**In a bipartisan letter, US Senators Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) and Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) have raised concerns about the growing threat of AI-driven cyberattacks. They are urging National Cyber Director Sean Cairncross to address the issue, following a large-scale cyberattack by Chinese government-linked hackers who exploited Anthropic's Claude platform.
The senators questioned the White House's response and its communication with Anthropic, as well as plans to collaborate with AI companies to mitigate such risks. While Congress has increasingly raised concerns about AI's potential harms, the White House's AI strategy has largely focused on benefits, with limited emphasis on cybersecurity measures.
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Humanoid Robots: A Growing Threat to Cybersecurity
**Experts at Bank of America and Morgan Stanley predict that as humanoid robots become cheaper to produce and more proficient in manual labor, their prevalence will grow dramatically in the coming decades. However, security analysts warn that these robots are highly hackable and easier to exploit than many home computers.
Already, common malware has been used to exploit these systems. Industry experts have emphasized that the robotics industry lacks basic cybersecurity awareness and standards, with speed prioritized over security. Efforts like the Secure Robot Operating System aim to address these vulnerabilities, but the robotics cybersecurity field remains immature.
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What's Next?
**As the world navigates the complex landscape of emerging threats and increasing budgets, one thing is clear: cybersecurity will continue to be a top priority in 2026 and beyond. Will governments and organizations be able to stay ahead of the curve? Only time will tell.
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**Note: This article was generated using AI tools with editorial review and editing by our team of experts.