What is the Consumer Cybersecurity Report 2026?
NordVPN’s Consumer Cybersecurity Report 2026 is an extensive cybersecurity threat intelligence document created by NordVPN’s Security Intelligence Division. Authored by some of the most prominent NordVPN experts, the report analyzes data collected throughout the first half of 2026, and offers a detailed look into current and upcoming cybersecurity threats, including AI-powered scams, truth-based phishing, and dangers that arise from the dark web.
Read the full report here opens in a new tab.
What caught our eye
Based on the Consumer Cybersecurity Report 2026, NordVPN’s next-gen antivirus blocks roughly 130,000 malicious links every day (1.2% out of 12 million URLs analyzed daily). Since the feature analyzes around 360 million distinct web addresses each month, the number of harmful URLs can total up to 1.3 million, posing a significant online threat for those who do not use any kind of online protection.
The report also raises concerns about a massive amount of stolen information floating around on the dark web. According to the statistics gathered by NordVPN’s senior threat intelligence researchers, in just a 90-day period, monitoring tools identified 8.4 million compromised accounts on the dark web. On average, a typical user's data was exposed 4.5 times in early 2026. The most common leaked data includes physical addresses (24%), full names (23%), social network information (10%), and passwords (9%).
The fact that data exposures on the dark web rose by 33% month-over-month during the first half of 2026 also suggests a potential shift linked to the industrialization of cybercrime. High numbers in leaked physical addresses and full names additionally indicate that attackers are likely to combine digital and real-world identifiers to develop complete victim profiles.
Finally, the report puts a strong emphasis on scams, particularly those exploiting top-level domains (TLD). While social media and e-commerce sites remain the prime targets for scammers, cybercriminals also favor launching fraudulent schemes through fake .com domains. A staggering 43.2% of all intercepted cases use the .com domain because attackers know users will instinctively trust it more than newer extensions like .shop or .top.
The rise of AI-powered scams
NordVPN’s 2026 Consumer Cybersecurity Report also highlights an increasing usage of AI in cybercriminal activities. The rise of GenAI has lowered the barrier for fraud, allowing low-skilled criminals to launch highly sophisticated, personalized attacks. In addition, AI capabilities are helping cybercriminals automate tasks such as scanning for digital vulnerabilities, exploiting legacy systems, and building evasive infostealer kits at an enormous rate. That is why AI-powered scams pose such a challenge for cybersecurity systems.
AI-generated scams are also dangerous because they can generate text, scenarios, and voices that are nearly indistinguishable from real people or brands. And scammers don’t just stop there. According to the report, attackers are exploiting the AI hype by impersonating legitimate websites and tools like Google Gemini CLI to trick users into downloading malware or entering payment details.
These findings further suggest that AI technology is making scams even more sophisticated — so verify the authenticity of platforms, downloads, and URLs before you engage with them.
Who and what are the most popular targets?
According to the 2026 Consumer Cybersecurity Report, malicious actors have their favorite regions, brands to impersonate, and times of year. Collected data shows that 99% of phishing attempts impersonate just 300 brands, the most popular being:
- Microsoft (16.12%). Targeted for cloud and tech credentials.
- Roblox (12.32%). Aimed at younger users to steal in-game currency.
- Google (9.94%). Used as a gateway to access all other accounts via password resets.
Malicious actors are also particularly interested in users from the US, the UK, and Western European countries such as France, Germany, and Spain. The report indicates these countries are the top targets for malware and phishing.
These countries are such popular targets because of their high GDP and heavy reliance on technology such as cloud computing and the internet of things (IoT). In other words, these countries present high-value opportunities and a broad attack surface, making them attractive targets for cybercriminals.
When it comes to timing, scammers also have their favored time of year to launch their cyberattacks. For example, in January 2026, NordVPN blocked more than 5 million malware attempts — the biggest spike of the year so far. This surge aligns with the post-holiday shopping season, allowing attackers to weaponize consumers’ sense of urgency and their “fear of missing out” on sales and discounts. Based on this logic, cybersecurity experts predict that Black Friday and the Christmas period will see a similar, if not higher, surge in scam, phishing, and malware attempts.
The future outlook
Based on the 2026 Consumer Cybersecurity Report, the threat landscape is moving away from generic, mass-scale attacks toward autonomous and highly personalized operations. Because of AI, the accessibility and sophistication of cybercrime has transformed, prompting a need for a rethinking of traditional defenses.
Everyday internet users are now facing threats that surpass the capabilities of previous antivirus software and spam filters. It’s not enough to just have an antivirus or use privacy-oriented browsers anymore. We are entering a time where critical awareness and proactive vigilance will be essential for navigating online risks effectively. That includes approaching every message, email, or request with skepticism and verifying information before taking any action.
As cyber threats become more automated, users and cybersecurity providers will need to keep adapting. Early detection, contextual analysis, and strong personal security habits will make the biggest difference against emerging online threats.
Finally, adaptive defenses and informed digital practices become critical when safeguarding personal data, finances, and online identities in the face of evolving tactics. Judge institutions and platforms by their behavior instead of appearances. Stay skeptical when reviewing content. Combine automated tools with your own awareness — together, these form a sturdy defense in this evolving cybersecurity landscape.
How to safeguard yourself
Cyber threats may be evolving, but so can you. While it’s almost impossible to fully safeguard yourself from all online threats (you’d have to go off-grid for that), you can still fortify your online presence simply by following a few small tips:
- Don’t rush. Cybercriminals craft their attacks expecting swift and impulsive responses. Practice taking a moment to question what you’re seeing or hearing before clicking on suspicious links and responding to unknown calls or emails.
- Double-check the source. If you receive a weird request from your bank, retailer, or service provider, put on your skeptic’s hat. Contact the company through a separate, trusted channel — phone, email, or in person. Even if the message looks real, verify it first.
- Use a link checker. Before clicking on any URL you're suspicious of, run it through NordVPN's link checker. It's a fast way to identify fake websites.
- Use smart protection. Tools like NordVPN’s next-gen antivirus block access to malicious websites and stop malware. Use them.
- Stay in the loop. The scam and fraud alert built into NordVPN’s next-gen antivirus warns you about trending cyber threats in real time. It might take some effort, but staying informed can help you stay safer online.
- Manage your digital footprint. Even the smallest crumb of data can help scammers piece together your online persona, so make sure to limit what strangers can see on your social media. It also makes it harder for scammers to train AI on your voice, face, or personal habits.
- Be proactive. If you catch something unusual online, report it. Your action can prevent someone else from falling for a scam.
Methodology
The report was drafted based on the analysis of data from two sources:
- 1.External third-party threat intelligence feeds, which provide domains, URLs, phishing, scam, malware, and malware hash intelligence.
- 2.Our own detection data, which consists of aggregated and anonymized data generated by NordVPN’s security features during the first half of 2026 (H1 2026).
To produce this research, NordVPN experts analyzed internal security signals and compared them with relevant external threat intelligence sources. All analysis was performed at an aggregated level. It did not involve any information that could be linked to an individual user.
The data reflects only threat detection activity from devices that had the relevant protection features enabled. Different features contribute to different metrics:
Scam and phishing protection. These figures are based on aggregated threat-detection results generated when this protection was enabled. The feature checks URLs and web content in real time to identify and block potentially malicious websites and downloads. During H1 2026, it assessed more than 2 billion unique URLs, 1.2% of which were identified as malicious.
Dark Web Monitor. This feature checks whether credentials associated with a user’s account appear in known data breaches. For this research, NordVPN analyzed 8 million breach notifications identified through dark web monitoring. The analysis was limited to breach listings and did not involve accessing, opening, or reviewing the personal information contained in leaked datasets.
Cryptocurrency scams. NordVPN analyzed 2.5 million cryptocurrency addresses identified by external sources as potentially linked to scams or fraud. This intelligence helps the service warn users about known or suspected malicious wallet addresses.
Call protection. Aggregated service-level metrics included more than 1 million call protection events. The feature is designed to identify and flag calls that may be associated with scams or fraudulent activity.
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