India, November 9, 2026: Acronis has published its first TRU Cyber Pulse 2026 report, offering an analysis of modern cyber threats including AI-enabled attacks, ransomware tactics, and cybercrime trends, based on research conducted throughout the year by the Acronis Threat Research Unit (TRU).
The report highlights the increasing sophistication of cyberattacks, particularly those leveraging artificial intelligence, and provides practical guidance for managed service providers (MSPs) and IT departments. According to Acronis, a single compromised device or identity can grant attackers access to multiple connected systems, underscoring the need for comprehensive security strategies.
Key findings from the report
The TRU Cyber Pulse 2026 report details several significant trends. TRU’s BOSSAI investigation found that a single operator used AI agents for reconnaissance, exploitation, and infrastructure management across multiple countries. Infostealers were identified as a major risk, with stolen credentials and API keys potentially extending infections from endpoints to cloud services and development environments.
Attackers are increasingly disabling security controls, with ransomware operators and advanced threat groups using defense impairment techniques to disrupt endpoint protection and logging. The report also notes that AI-assisted attackers can develop and deploy exploits for new vulnerabilities within hours, reducing the window for effective response.
Threats to trusted services and infrastructure
Threat actors are using trusted platforms such as GitHub and Telegram to host or direct malicious activity, complicating efforts to distinguish legitimate from malicious use. Ransomware campaigns are targeting Linux and VMware ESXi systems, exposing critical enterprise workloads and services. The report warns that a compromise can have a cascading impact on MSPs and their clients due to interconnected administrative identities and shared infrastructure.
Expert commentary and industry impact
Santiago Pontiroli, Threat Intelligence Research Lead at Acronis, said the report reflects TRU’s year-round work analyzing malware and tracking threat actor tactics. “The biggest trend we’ve noticed is how AI is helping capable operators coordinate more of the attack lifecycle, while stolen identities and trusted tools can help them move through connected environments. Defenders need to consider those risks together, from the first alert through containment and recovery,” Pontiroli said.
Gerald Caron, Chief Information Security Officer at Acronis, added that organizations must look beyond endpoint protection. “IT teams need visibility across identity, cloud, and remote management activity, along with MDR capabilities and recovery plans that account for compromised administrative access. An AI-native platform that unifies protection, management, and automation can give businesses a clearer view across their environments,” Caron said.
Report availability and company background
The TRU Cyber Pulse 2026 report synthesizes findings from major cyber incidents, malware campaigns, and threat actor investigations to provide a comprehensive overview of the current threat landscape. The report is available for free download beginning November 9, 2026.
Acronis, headquartered in Schaffhausen, Switzerland, provides AI-native cyber protection solutions and serves over 21,000 service providers and 750,000 businesses in 150 countries.
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