Cyber attacks are happening faster than ever, and getting much worse.
Research shows that attackers are getting much faster. In fact, there are now certain cybercrime gangs that can get into your company's network and then spread throughout the network in less than 30 seconds. There has been a huge rise in attacks using artificial intelligence. And now attackers are exploiting zero-day vulnerabilities at a rate that makes it impossible for companies to keep up with patching those vulnerabilities fast enough.
Here is what no one wants to talk about:
Many of the biggest cybersecurity breaches of 2026 have not been "unstoppable" attacks. They've been "preventable" mistakes.
When you analyze each of these major security incidents, you'll find that most of the root causes of the breach have included:
- Mismanaged identity and access
- Misconfigured cloud services
- Poor employee security awareness
- Poorly trained incident response teams
- Unpatched software vulnerabilities
- Vendor risks due to poor security practices
In short, the biggest problem facing most companies today is not a technology gap, but rather a skills gap.
If you are relatively new to understanding cybersecurity risks, it may be beneficial to first read about what most people get wrong about their security threats.
Below is a list of some of the largest cybersecurity incidents of 2026 so far, along with the key takeaways regarding cybersecurity training.
- Match Group Data Breach
Hackers claim to have taken 10 million records.
At the beginning of 2026, hackers who stated that they were affiliated with the group ShinyHunters announced that they broke into Match Group. Match Group owns several popular dating apps including Tinder, Hinge, and OkCupid.
The hackers reported that they stole:
- User records
- Company documents
- Transaction data
- IP addresses
As of right now, investigators do not know exactly how the hackers broke in. However, many analysts believe that it was either through compromised user login credentials or weaknesses within vendor access protocols.
What went wrong?
Many organizations that use numerous vendors or partners ignore the risks associated with the security of those vendors.
Often, attackers do not go straight for the front door. Instead, they look to exploit vulnerabilities in a vendor integration, contractor system, or partner system.
Training that could help:
Organizations can significantly lower their chances of a breach if they provide training to their staff in areas that include:
- Security awareness training
- Vendor risk management
- Education on managing identities and access
- Training to detect phishing attempts
There is no easier way to lower phishing and social engineering breaches than with security awareness programs.
Don't be another headline.
- Stryker cyberattack
Wiped out thousands of devices on all Stryker corporate systems.
On March 14th of 2026, Stryker, a maker of medical equipment, was hit by a massive cyberattack attributed to an Iranian hacker collective known as "Shut Down Iran."
According to reports, Stryker employees were watching live as computer screens began wiping themselves clean in real time. All corporate offices were immediately closed until further notice.
Some details surrounding the attack are still unknown.
What went wrong?
Iranian-based cyber attacks have become increasingly common. This trend includes cyberattacks targeting US-based companies working directly with federal agencies and/or with national defense industries.
While most of the time these attacks result in minimal damage, they can also be devastating because many organizations are unprepared to deal with such a severe attack.
Additionally, many organizations lack sufficient preparedness when dealing with a mass-scale cyberattack. Most organizations lack adequate endpoint isolation measures. Many organizations do not segment their networks. Additionally, many organizations lack a well-defined incident response plan.
Training that could have helped:
Security personnel would greatly benefit from receiving training on:
- Incident response
- Monitoring for security events
- Endpoint protection techniques
Cybersecurity training that aligns with certifications such as CompTIA Security+ and CySA+ allows individuals to develop skills around identifying and mitigating cyber threats.
- The 149 million credential exposure
Major database leak exposes 149 million records.
In early January 2026, researchers revealed a publicly accessible database that contained over 149 million records and totalled almost 100 GB in size. The leaked database contained sensitive information from various sources including financial institutions and other entities.
How did it happen?
Publicly accessible databases can be very secure, if they are correctly set up. Unfortunately, many organizations incorrectly set up their cloud infrastructures, leading to widespread exposure of sensitive information.
Common reasons why databases are left open include:
- Incorrect access permissions established by administrators
- Poor encryption practices
- Poorly managed network access rules
- Poor monitoring and analysis practices
Continual oversight and monitoring of databases is needed to ensure that databases remain secure.
Training that could have helped:
IT teams should receive formal training on how to securely manage cloud environments.
Cloud security training and certifications assist IT professionals in learning how to properly deploy and protect their cloud infrastructure.
- Brightspeed ransomware attack
Claims to have stolen over 1 million customer records for Brightspeed Telecommunications Co., Inc.
Brightspeed Telecommunications Co., Inc.'s customer database was accessed by a malicious actor representing a group called The Crimson Collective. According to claims made by the attacker, The Crimson Collective successfully stole over 1 million records belonging to Brightspeed customers.
Ransomware remains one of the most prevalent forms of cybercrime.
What went wrong?
Most ransomware infections begin with one of three methods:
- Phishing email or message sent to employees
- Compromised credentials (login information stolen via phishing or social engineering)
- Unpatched vulnerability
Once an attacker gains initial access to a network, they usually proceed to elevate their level of privilege and then begin lateral movement throughout the network.
Training that could have helped:
Organizations can minimise their vulnerability to ransomware by providing staff with training in:
- Threat detection techniques
- Managing vulnerabilities
- Real-time network monitoring
Hands-on lab exercises enable organizations to simulate and test their ability to defend against attacks prior to the occurrence of actual attacks.
- Nike internal data breach
Attacker claims to have stolen 1.4 terabytes of internal company data.
Nike reportedly initiated an investigation into allegations made by an attacker stating that he or she had exfiltrated 1.4 TB of internal data from Nike's systems.
A significant number of high-profile internal breaches occur as a result of either unauthorised use of elevated privileges or inadequate monitoring practices.
What went wrong?
Many organizations lack visibility into how their internal users interact with critical business systems.
Without proper monitoring mechanisms, attackers can easily traverse an organization's network undetected.
Training that could have helped:
Security personnel require knowledge in:
- Identity and access management
- Security monitoring
- Detecting insider threats
Security certifications and technical training provide teams with enhanced abilities to recognise unusual behaviour before large amounts of data are stolen from their organizations.
