Telecom Sector Faces Ongoing Cyber Attacks As 2026 Begins: Kaspersky

Cyber threats that shaped the telecommunications sector in 2025 are persisting into 2026 as operators continue to face sustained attacks while rolling out new technologies that introduce fresh operational risks, according to Kaspersky.

Cyber threats that shaped the telecommunications sector in 2025 are persisting into 2026 as operators continue to face sustained attacks while rolling out new technologies that introduce fresh operational risks, according to Kaspersky.

The firm said telecommunications operators remained under sustained pressure this year from advanced persistent threat (APT) campaigns, supply-chain compromises, distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks and SIM-enabled fraud.

These threats continued to target operator networks for long-term access, service disruption and illicit monetisation, while the growing complexity of telecommunications ecosystems created multiple entry points for attackers.

Kaspersky data show that between November 2024 and October 2025, 12.79 per cent of users in the telecommunications sector encountered web-based threats, while 20.76 per cent faced on-device threats.

Over the same period, 9.86 per cent of telecommunications organisations worldwide experienced ransomware incidents.

As the sector shifts from rapid innovation to large-scale implementation, Kaspersky warns that technology transitions are adding a new layer of operational risk heading into 2026.

Aritificial intelligence (AI)-assisted network management can amplify configuration errors or act on manipulated data, post-quantum cryptography deployments risk interoperability and performance issues if rushed and 5G-to-satellite (non-terrestrial network) integration expands service footprints while introducing new dependencies and potential failure points.

Kaspersky GReAT senior security researcher Leonid Bezvershenko said the threats that dominated 2025 are not going away.

They are now intersecting with operational risks from AI automation, quantum-ready cryptography and satellite integration.

"Telecom operators need visibility across both dimensions: maintaining strong defences against known threats while building security into these new technologies from day one.

"The key is continuous threat intelligence that spans from endpoint to edge to orbit," he added.

To strengthen resilience, Kaspersky advises telecommunications operators to continuously monitor APT activity and infrastructure exposure, manage AI-driven automation through strong human oversight and phased rollouts and treat DDoS protection as a core capacity-management priority.

The company also recommends deploying advanced endpoint detection and response capabilities to enable early threat detection, rapid investigation and effective incident containment.

Source: www.nst.com.my