Cyber Frontiers: Collaborative thinking for pressing cybersecurity challenges

It’s Friday, end of day, and an employee clicks on what looks like a routine software-update reminder before leaving the office for the weekend.

They’re expecting a quick fix — not the full-scale cybersecurity breach that unfolds. Behind that familiar pop-up was an AI-generated exploit targeting an unpatched vulnerability, moving laterally before it could be detected.

Such incidents are now occurring regularly, serving as a costly reminder to organizations that even small gaps can open the door to big problems that can easily turn into an existential crisis in a hyperconnected business environment.

It’s a growing risk that changes what it means to protect organizations, institutions and societies.

This is why NTT DATA is launching the first-ever edition of Cyber Frontiers, our new annual magazine exploring the ideas, people and breakthroughs redefining cybersecurity for the year ahead. And the timing couldn’t be more important.

Why cybersecurity needs a front-page conversation

Technology is accelerating faster than organizations can adapt. AI is designing, writing and attacking systems at machine speed. Quantum computing is on the brink of breaking today’s encryption methods. Cybercriminals now form part of well-funded operations moving faster than traditional defenses can respond.

In this environment, cybersecurity is the foundation of digital trust — and trust is at the core of business.

But there’s a gap. The global conversation about cyberthreats is often fragmented, overly technical or reactive. Cyber Frontiers exists to change that — to spark a clear, accessible and thought-provoking dialogue about what’s coming next and how we prepare for it.

Inside the first edition

The 2026 edition brings together original research, expert perspectives and real-world insights from third-party professionals and NTT DATA’s global cybersecurity teams. Here’s a taste of what’s inside:

1. The cybersecurity skills crisis — and how to fix it

Is there truly a shortage of cyberskills? Or are we defining “skills” too narrowly? This feature challenges long-standing assumptions and explores:

• Why traditional hiring filters miss promising candidates
• How burnout is quietly draining the cyber-workforce
• Why microcredentials, industry partnerships and government policy matter
• Whether AI — especially agentic AI — can help close the skills gap

Expect a refreshing, myth-busting take on a problem every CISO talks about but few fully understand.

2. Vulnerability management is broken: Here’s the future

Most organizations still rely on periodic scanning and patching — a model that attackers love.

Our guide to continuous threat exposure management reveals:

• Why “never green” dashboards persist
• How real-time remediation slashes costs and analyst fatigue
• What an intelligent, automated RemOps model looks like in practice

If resilience is the new security, this piece shows you how to get there.

3. The war on deepfakes and misinformation

Deepfakes are exploding at a rate of 3,000% a year, and they’re no longer just political or social threats — they also present serious business risks. We explore:

• How attackers weaponize synthetic media
• Why trust is now the most vulnerable asset
• The rise of multimodal detection tools that can spot fakes invisible to humans

With stories that wouldn’t feel out of place in a spy thriller, this feature exposes how deception has become a cyberweapon.

4. Inside the breach: Simulating real attacks

Most organizations test for “entry.” Few test for what attackers will do next. This deep dive covers:

• How postexploitation automation mimics real adversaries
• Why the MITRE ATT&CK® framework isn’t enough without behavioral depth
• What a 13-day, 60-system breach simulation revealed about modern blind spots

It’s a rare look behind the curtain of offensive cybersecurity.

5. The quantum reckoning

Quantum computers are edging closer to breaking today’s encryption. The countdown has started. This final chapter explains:

• Why quantum breakthroughs are accelerating
• How quantum key distribution, quantum random number generators and post-quantum cryptography will redefine trust
• Why organizations must prepare now for a post-quantum world

It’s part warning, part roadmap — and entirely essential reading.

• ALSO READ → Rethink cryptography for the AI era and a post-quantum future

Join us at the frontier

Rather than a response to fear, cybersecurity is about empowerment. It allows organizations to innovate boldly, transform confidently and build trust that lasts.

Cyber Frontiers is your invitation to explore the ideas shaping the future of digital security, one issue at a time.

The first edition launches in January 2026. Let’s step into the future together.

• ALSO READ → Modern business resilience: A framework for continuous readiness