Microsoft: AI Has Tipped Cyber Battlefield in Attackers' Favor

Microsoft's 2026 Digital Defense Report, based on 165 trillion daily security signals, concludes AI has shifted the balance in attackers' favor. Median time from vulnerability discovery to weaponization has fallen below 24 hours, phishing became the entry vector for 23% of intrusions (up from 7%), and the first autonomous 32-step attack chains were documented.

• Median time from vulnerability discovery to weaponization is under 24 hours
• Phishing was the entry vector for 23% of intrusions, up from 7%
• First autonomous 32-step AI agent attack chains documented
• Report draws on 165 trillion daily security signals