Q1 2026 Threat Landscape Report: Zero-clicks, geopolitical tensions, and some wins for law enforcement

The first quarter of 2026 saw a significant shift in the threat landscape, with attackers leveraging exploits as the primary initial access vector, surpassing social engineering tactics. This change in strategy has led to a more aggressive and coordinated approach by threat actors, exploiting vulnerabilities before organizations can respond effectively. The escalating geopolitical tensions have also contributed to an increase in ransomware operations, making reactive defense strategies unsustainable. The use of zero-click exploits has become a notable trend, allowing attackers to compromise systems without requiring user interaction. The latest Threat Landscape Report highlights the need for proactive defense strategies to combat these emerging threats¹. This shift in the threat landscape matters to security practitioners as it necessitates a reassessment of their organization's defense posture to stay ahead of these evolving threats.