The protection of personal and business data has established itself as the main cybersecurity challenge in 2026, driven by the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence (AI) and the growth of global digitalization.
Within the framework of Safe Internet Day, Cipher, the cybersecurity division of the Prosegur Group, highlights that the convergence between data protection and AI represents the critical factor for organizations, citizens and public entities.
This scenario becomes relevant in countries like Colombia, where the advance of electronic commerce, digital payments and the transformation of the public sector accentuate the risks and the need for advanced defense strategies.
AI has become a double-edged tool in the cybersecurity landscape.On the one hand, cybercriminals take advantage of generative AI to automate phishing campaigns, create realistic deepfakes, and execute fraud using voice and synthetic image.
These techniques, increasingly present in Latin America, increase the sophistication and scope of attacks directed at users of financial systems, companies and public organizations.
On the other hand, defensive AI allows organizations to drastically reduce detection and response times for security incidents. Automation and intelligent data analysis allow anomalous activities to be identified in seconds, anticipate intrusions and contain threats before they affect sensitive information or critical infrastructures.
In Colombia, digital identity has become the new security perimeter, and the integration of prevention, intelligent monitoring and responsible use of AI is essential to confront emerging threats.
Privacy and data governance also take on a central role. The expansion of generative AI models has generated new risks associated with the unauthorized use of personal data and the involuntary exposure of information during interaction with intelligent tools.
Likewise, compliance with Law 1581 on the Protection of Personal Data and sectoral regulatory standards are a permanent challenge for companies and public organizations in the country.
Credential theft continues to be one of the main factors in security incidents in Colombia, especially in sectors such as banking, fintech, digital government and service platforms.
Moving towards the implementation of verified digital identity – through robust multi-factor authentication, biometrics, passkeys and behavioral analysis – is a priority to mitigate fraud and unauthorized access.
The World Economic Forum’s Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2025 warns of a more complex global ecosystem, marked by geopolitical tensions, criminal sophistication and vulnerabilities in supply chains.For Colombia, this context reinforces the need for a proactive posture and coordination between the public and private sectors in matters of cybersecurity.
The OECD recommends integrating privacy, data governance and AI under principles of transparency, auditing and protection of sensitive information, while international analyzes warn of the growing use of ransomware to extort organizations that have strict regulatory obligations.
Cipher proposes a series of recommendations to strengthen cybersecurity in 2026:
Data protection, added to governance and the ethical use of artificial intelligence, is emerging as the main challenge and priority of cybersecurity today.The ability to anticipate threats, respond quickly and strengthen defense mechanisms will be decisive in facing the digital scenario of 2026 and protecting both organizations and citizens.
