TechRound: Expert Predictions for Cybersecurity in 2026

Nick Walker, Regional Director for EMEA at NetSPI, contributed to TechRound’s expert roundup on what to expect in cybersecurity in 2026, arguing that identity will replace networks as the primary battleground. Read the preview below or view it online.

+++

Identity becomes the new perimeter in 2026

In “Expert predictions for cybersecurity in 2026” (TechRound, 7 January 2026), Nick Walker suggests that as organisations harden endpoints, segment networks, and move more infrastructure behind SaaS layers, attackers will shift their focus rather than disappear. In his view, identity becomes the new frontline – with every employee, contractor and service account representing a potential entry point.

Walker highlights how Single Sign-On can be “a gift and a curse,” because a single stolen session or OAuth token may allow attackers to bypass MFA and gain wide access without needing to deploy malware. He also points to common organisational weaknesses that make this more likely to succeed, including MFA fatigue, privilege sprawl, and identity logs that are not effectively correlated – leaving teams blind to subtle lateral movement.

His warning is that an “illusion of safety” around MFA and conditional access will break down as identity systems are treated less like tooling and more like critical infrastructure. The organisations best positioned for 2026, Walker argues, will be those that actively audit roles and permissions, verify tokens, and treat identity telemetry with the same discipline as financial records because the next breach may start with a login, not a payload.

You can read the full article here.