The World Economic Forum’s latest Global Cybersecurity Outlook reveals a significant shift in the priorities of business leaders. Cyber-enabled fraud has now overtaken ransomware as the top concern among executives worldwide. The report emphasizes how digital threats, particularly fraud, are reshaping global conversations about cyber regulation and resilience.
Executives surveyed in the report expressed a strong preference for clearer, harmonized cyber regulations. Many see such regulations as essential for establishing baseline protections while reducing the complexities posed by fragmented global responses. The report highlights how industries are coming to a consensus on the need for coordinated action.
The timing of the report aligns with growing concerns about the risks posed by artificial intelligence (AI). As AI technologies continue to evolve, executives are increasingly focused on how AI can both enhance cybersecurity defenses and exacerbate cyber threats. Many believe that effective regulation could help balance innovation with accountability in this rapidly changing landscape.
Cyber-Enabled Fraud Takes Center Stage
Historically, ransomware has dominated headlines as the most pressing cyber threat. However, the latest report shows that cyber-enabled fraud has surpassed ransomware in terms of scale and impact. Nearly three-quarters of executives reported direct or indirect experience with fraud in 2025, highlighting the widespread vulnerability to these attacks.
Cyber-enabled fraud often exploits both human and technical vulnerabilities. Social engineering, phishing, and identity theft are becoming more sophisticated, particularly with the rise of AI tools. These developments have led to a growing call for stronger safeguards and regulatory frameworks.
Executives see cyber regulation as a key mechanism to standardize responses to fraud. By mandating reporting and accountability, regulation could help close the gap between attackers and defenders, making it more difficult for fraudsters to operate unchecked. As a result, the push for cyber regulation is seen as both a business necessity and a way to protect society at large.
Growing Support for Global Cyber Regulation
The World Economic Forum’s findings reflect broad support for cyber regulation across different regions, including Asia, Europe, and North America. Industry leaders from these areas emphasized the need for coherent and unified regulatory frameworks to address the growing threats in cyberspace. Fragmented rules across borders, they argue, hinder response times and raise compliance costs for businesses.
The report points out that there is especially strong support for regulations targeting cyber fraud, AI misuse, and supply-chain transparency. Executives are calling for frameworks that facilitate data sharing and set baseline controls to better protect organizations. The consensus is clear: harmonized standards would help improve enforcement and collaboration against transnational cybercriminals.
Public-private partnerships are also emphasized as essential for effective cyber regulation. Leaders agree that regulation must be paired with workforce development and threat intelligence sharing to be most effective. The combination of regulation and capacity-building is seen as a more sustainable approach to tackling cyber threats.
The Supply Chain Challenge
A growing area of concern in the cybersecurity landscape is the vulnerability of software supply chains. Executives have warned that concentration risks and hidden dependencies within these chains can amplify the impact of cyberattacks, leading to systemic failures. To address these issues, transparency and accountability in the supply chain are viewed as essential for restoring trust.
Proposed regulatory measures include standardized vendor attestations and third-party risk audits, which would help organizations identify vulnerabilities before they escalate into major incidents. These steps aim to strengthen supply chain security by ensuring that all parties in the chain are held accountable for cybersecurity practices.
The concern over supply chains reflects broader anxieties about the interconnectedness of global systems. As businesses rely more on networks of vendors, the potential for cascading failures grows. Cyber regulation is seen as a tool to manage and mitigate these risks.
Balancing Innovation and Regulation
While the need for cyber regulation is widely recognized, executives also stress the importance of preserving innovation in the cybersecurity space. AI technologies are playing a transformative role in both offensive and defensive cybersecurity strategies. Executives want regulations that address misuse without stifling advancements that can enhance cybersecurity defenses.
The report highlights that while AI can accelerate threat detection and response, it also enables more complex and faster attacks. Regulation, they argue, is needed to ensure that AI is deployed responsibly, without compromising security or innovation. The goal is to create a regulatory environment that fosters growth while mitigating risks.
Other innovations, such as immersive audio and virtual environments, are also reshaping the cybersecurity landscape. As new technologies emerge, the challenge will be to create flexible and forward-thinking frameworks that can adapt to these advancements.
Cyber Regulation’s Future Role in Cybersecurity
The World Economic Forum’s report signals a turning point for the future of cybersecurity. With growing global support for regulation, momentum is building toward comprehensive action. Leaders are calling for regulatory frameworks that are practical, coherent, and aligned across borders.
Early priorities are expected to include harmonizing incident reporting, addressing AI risk governance, and strengthening supply-chain security. Cyber regulation will be crucial in shaping the direction of global cybersecurity efforts, helping businesses and governments respond more effectively to emerging threats.
As the industry adapts to these new realities, the push for regulation will play a key role in ensuring the resilience of digital systems. The future of cybersecurity will not only be defined by technological advancements but also by the regulatory frameworks that help manage those innovations. The combination of strategic regulation and technological evolution will be essential to safeguarding the digital world.
