This year’s Munich Security Report 2026 paints a picture of a world in which the traditional sense of stability is giving way to a new triad of threats: cyber attacks, financial instability and precision disinformation. The Munich Security Index data leaves no illusions – for G7 economic leaders, it is not climate change but digital security that has become an existential priority.
As recently as 2022, cyber attacks ranked seventh in the list of concerns. Today, for the second year in a row, they dominate the top of the list. The trend is particularly pronounced in Germany, the UK and Japan, where more than 70% of respondents cite digital impacts as a key state risk. For the business sector, this sends a clear message: cyber security is no longer the domain of IT departments and has become the cornerstone of business continuity management strategies.
An interesting divergence is being drawn between the rich West and the BICS group (Brazil, India, China, South Africa). While the G7 focuses on critical infrastructure and monetary stability, the BICS countries invariably see climate change as the biggest threat, pushing cyber issues to the background. This divergence of priorities may hinder the development of global standards for data protection and regulation of artificial intelligence in the coming years.
Speaking of AI, it is worth noting the surge in concerns about autonomous robots and algorithms. In just five years, this area of risk has risen twelve places in the overall ranking. This is a reflection of concern about the pace of deployment of a technology that, while promising to increase efficiency, is also becoming a tool in the hands of ‘hostile actors’ for disinformation campaigns.
The report also points to growing geopolitical tensions. While Russia remains the main focal point in the external threat category, there is growing scepticism about the role of the US, which is particularly evident within the US itself. Respondents there, along with India and the UK, are the only ones who believe that the overall level of risk has increased compared to last year, indicating a growing polarisation and erosion of democratic processes.
