Swisscom says AI and geopolitics are reshaping the cyber threat landscape
Swisscom’s 2026 Cybersecurity Threat Radar identifies state-sponsored attacks, AI governance gaps, software supply chain vulnerabilities, and IT/OT convergence as primary drivers of increasing cyber threat complexity.
Swisscom has published its 2026 Cybersecurity Threat Radar, warning that cyber threats have grown more complex over the past year as geopolitical tensions and disruptive technologies put added pressure on digital systems. The report presents AI, supply chain exposure, digital sovereignty, and operational technology security as four strategic risk areas for organisations.
The report highlights state-linked cyber activity, hybrid influence operations such as disinformation, and supply chain attacks as key drivers of the current threat environment. It argues that digital transformation has increased dependence on cloud services, third-party software, AI systems, and networked industrial infrastructure, making organisations more exposed to cascading failures and external dependencies.
On AI, Swisscom describes insecure AI use as a risk multiplier. While AI can improve productivity, the report warns that poor governance, weak visibility into models, and uncontrolled use of AI tools in operational environments can expand attack surfaces, affect data quality, and create new compliance challenges.
Software supply chains are also identified as a persistent vulnerability. Swisscom says a single compromised component or manipulated update process can have far-reaching consequences across interconnected systems, making software integrity, origin verification, and traceability increasingly important as mitigation measures.
The convergence of information technology and operational technology is presented as another growing area of concern. In sectors such as energy, healthcare, manufacturing, and building automation, incidents can have consequences that go well beyond financial loss, affecting critical infrastructure, production, and even human safety.
The report also places greater emphasis on digital sovereignty, arguing that organisations need clearer visibility over where data is processed, which legal regimes apply, and how dependent they are on cloud and technology providers. In that sense, Swisscom frames cybersecurity less as a narrow IT function and more as a strategic governance issue tied to resilience, control, and trust.
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