Microsoft’s 2026 Digital Defense Report says AI is compressing parts of cyberattack chains from days to seconds

What changed

Microsoft released its 2026 Digital Defense Report on October 1, arguing that AI is changing the speed, information flow and accessibility of cyber operations. Threat actors are using AI for reconnaissance, social engineering, malware and exploit development and post-compromise activity, while agentic systems automate more of the attack chain. Microsoft also notes nearly 40,000 published CVEs in the first half of 2026 and says AI can compress parts of discovery and attack workflows from days to seconds.