Cybersecurity at a Turning Point: Key Risks Facing Businesses in the U.S. and Latin America—and What to Expect in 2026
In the United States, data from the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) shows that cybercrime losses reached USD 16.6 billion in 2024, the highest level ever recorded. A significant portion of these losses was linked to digital fraud, identity impersonation and attacks on online commerce and payment platforms—particularly during high-traffic periods such as Black Friday, Cyber Monday and the year-end shopping season.
Cybersecurity firms have also warned of sharp spikes in attacks during major sales events. Darktrace reported that phishing attacks themed around Black Friday promotions increased by more than 600% during the campaign period, primarily targeting online retailers, payment gateways and end users. Meanwhile, Kaspersky revealed that it blocked nearly 900 million phishing attempts globally in 2024, highlighting the scale and persistence of the threat landscape.
Latin America: A High-Exposure Region
The situation is especially challenging in Latin America. The region records some of the highest e-commerce fraud rates worldwide, with losses reaching up to 20% of online revenues in certain markets. Digital payment fraud in the region grew by approximately 25% in 2024, well above the global average, disproportionately impacting small and mid-sized businesses.
According to the 2025 Risk Management Study in Latin America, conducted by Pirani with participation from organizations in more than 15 countries, cybersecurity and data protection remain the number-one risk for the third consecutive year, cited by 67.5% of respondents. Fraud and financial crimes ranked second, identified as a priority risk by 48.8% of participating organizations.
Looking Ahead to 2026: AI, Automation and New Threats
Looking toward 2026, experts anticipate an even more complex risk environment. The rapid adoption of artificial intelligence across business processes—customer service, analytics, automation and decision-making—offers clear efficiency gains but also introduces new attack vectors and systemic risks.
Key emerging threats include:
- AI-powered phishing and fraud, using hyper-personalized messages, deepfake voice or video, and large-scale automation.
- Manipulation of AI models and data, aimed at distorting automated decisions, risk scoring or fraud detection systems.
- Third-party and vendor AI risks, increasing exposure through outsourced platforms and opaque data handling practices.
- Amplified human error, as organizations deploy AI tools without proper governance, controls or risk oversight.
The Pirani study indicates that 23.7% of organizations in Latin America already view AI adoption as a factor that intensifies cybersecurity threats, enabling faster, more complex and harder-to-detect attacks.
A Risk Management Perspective
According to Alejandro Orrego, CEO of Pirani, the challenge is no longer purely technical—it is strategic:
“Looking ahead to 2026, the real question is not whether companies will face cyberattacks, but how prepared they will be when they happen. Artificial intelligence is raising the level of sophistication on both sides, and organizations that fail to integrate cybersecurity into their overall risk management systems will face not only financial losses, but serious operational disruptions and long-term reputational damage.”
Orrego emphasizes that cybersecurity must be treated as a cross-functional business risk, closely linked to operational resilience, regulatory compliance and executive decision-making.
Preparing Today for the 2026 Landscape
Given this outlook, experts recommend that organizations move toward integrated risk management models that include:
- Strong access controls and multi-factor authentication.
- Secure-by-design payment and data protection processes.
- Continuous monitoring and clearly defined incident response plans.
- Responsible AI governance aligned with international standards and best practices.
Cybersecurity is no longer a future concern. It is a present-day challenge that will define business resilience, competitiveness and trust in 2026 and beyond.
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