It has been another big year for ad security breaches, malvertising, phishing, and crypto threats. Although we can never truly know what the future holds, looking at data and market influences, here are 4 ad security predictions for 2026.
Let’s start with AI
In 2025, we have seen AI become so realistic that people are having issues differentiating human-made content from AI, rage bait and disinformation continue to cloud peoples judgment and has increased, and deep fake technology has continued to advance. Our number one prediction for 2026 is that AI will be used to create more elaborate online scams.
Expected trend: Increase in the number of deep fake video scams
Older internet users and vulnerable people are at risk of being duped by deep fake videos. One of the ways this is happening is through fake product results. For example, fake before-and-after results from dieting to show the effectiveness of a workout plan or herbal remedy or product mock-ups that have never been produced. Another way visual deep fakes can trick people is through fake celebrity endorsements. Traditionally, celebrity endorsements increase product trust, so the non-tech-savvy could fall for scams that show fake celebrity product and service promotion. AI deep fake images and videos are getting more sophisticated, making it much more difficult for an end user to recognize if they are fake or real.
Expected trend: Increase in the number of deep fake voice scams
With as little as 2 minutes of an audio or video, the AI can create believable voice clones that could be used to imitate celebrities, and other important roles such as your boss! End users can be targeted through fake ads or voice messages to be convinced to make a purchase of a fake product or service giving personal and financial data that can then be exploited Malvertisers to exploit end users.
Studies have found that people are more critical of human voices when asked to differentiate them from AI, and often, participants find the AI voices sound more trustworthy than actual human voices. Therefore, Ad Networks, DSPs, and Programmatic agencies need to be vigilant with their compliance and need tools to identify AI creatives. Not all end users can spot the sound of an AI voice.
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Expected trend: Phishing attempts will continue to rise and become more convincing
Phishing attempts are one of the most consistently effective cyber threats, with 3.4 billion phishing emails sent daily, and 94% of malware infections originating from phishing emails. It continues to grow because Malvertisers are constantly finding new ways to bypass security and improve the quality of their emails and texts. Phishing is so effective because it creates a sense of urgency, fear, or opportunity. With the fast development of technology, ‘phishing kits’ are now being sold that provide entry points into an organization’s network, making it even easier to phish data.
Phishing violations have increased dramatically throughout 2025, with Q3 ending with a 188.1% increase in Phishing detections scanned by AdSecure compared to Q2.
Phishing attacks can be generated by AI, which allows Malvertisers to build to scale and use bots to create clones that increase the risk to people falling victim to the scam. The combination of easy access to AI tools that improve text and automate processes, along with the ability to purchase prepackaged malware, is likely to result in a spike in more successful Phishing attacks and breaches of sensitive information and data.
Emerging Trends: Drive-by Crypto Mining opportunities for bad actors
On Jan 23, 2025, US President Donal Trump signed EO 14178: “Strengthening American Leadership in Digital Financial Technology.” The aim was to direct federal agencies to review all existing Crypto-related regulations and guidance, with orders to look at which regulations could be modified or repealed. Additionally the SEC established a new Crypto task force to build “clear regulatory lines,” more sensible disclosure, and enforcement. The goal was to reduce “regulation by enforcement” and instead provide more predictable, rules-based oversight. As reported in The Verge, in April 2025, the Department of Justice also scaled back certain Crypto-related prosecutions. According to a memo, prosecutors have been instructed to stop targeting virtual currency exchanges, mixers (“tumbling services”), and offline wallets just for regulatory-violation–type issues.
The other big news headline in Crypto in October this year was that President Trump pardoned Changpeng Zhao, the Cryptocurrency multi-billionaire, who was serving prison time for pleading guilty to enabling money laundering in 2023. This pardon coupled with the deregulation of Crypto encourages cyber criminals to boost their Crypto Mining activities. Drive-by Crypto Mining, also known as Cryptojacking is a tactic used by Malvertisers. When an end user clicks on a malicious ad it quietly downloads Crypto mining software onto their device(s) and uses the devices power and bandwidth to secretly mine Crypto coins on behalf of the Malvertiser. Comparing Q2 to Q1 AdSecure saw an increase of 200% in the detection of ads with hidden Crypto Mining code. And comparing Q3 to Q2, it continued to rise by 92.3%. With this upward trend, we can expect to see Malvertisers continue to use ads to exploit end users with Drive-by Crypto Mining.
Emerging Trend: Age Verification laws may increase the number of VPN scams
Age verification for adult content websites is now law in several countries: the UK, France, Spain, Germany, Italy, and 25 US states. Adult websites are required by law to verify the age of their end users. Because these verification methods handle sensitive personal data such as official Government ID documents, many end users are reluctant to verify their age to view adult content. Because of this, the VPN industry has seen a big increase in end users downloading VPN software. There is even current talk in some countries and US States to ban the use of VPNs in the future. However, with the popularity rising in VPN interest from end users, cyber criminals are sure to take advantage with advertised offers of VPN products that once downloaded, could be full of malicious software that can be used to compromise end users. End users should only use VPNs that are well known and trusted, avoiding ads and going directly to a VPNs official website to obtain this utility.
A final word…
As technologies like AI continue to improve and global markets shift with changes and deregulation, tech savvy bad actors are constantly looking for ways to use advertising to show malicious ads via ad networks, ad exchanges, publishing websites to exploit unsuspecting end users. Therefore, ad security and delivering a high-quality user web browsing experience is of prime importance. Malvertisers are constantly on the lookout for new technologies and opportunities to increase the number of scams that they create, and all it takes for them to win are unsuspecting end user clicks.
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