Building Cyber Resilience with Fortinet’s Glenn Maiden

The threat landscape in 2026 is not defined by a single catastrophic breach, but by relentless, evolving attacks that exploit human psychology and systemic gaps in small and mid-sized organizations. Glenn Maiden, Fortinet’s Chief Security Officer and Crimestoppers International’s new cybercrime bounty lead, argues that the era of 'silver bullet' security is over—and that resilience comes not from perfect technology, but from layered, proactive defense. He reveals that cybercriminals now use hyper-realistic deepfakes and social engineering to bypass even the most vigilant employees, making the first click the weakest link. Yet, he remains optimistic: AI can democratize advanced security, and simple steps like multi-factor authentication and tested incident response plans can dramatically reduce risk. The real danger, he warns, isn't just hackers—it’s geopolitical instability. Data centers and undersea cables are now legitimate military targets, as seen in drone strikes on AWS facilities in the UAE and Bahrain. Even New Zealand, far from conflict zones, is vulnerable to cyberattacks driven by global tensions, with organizations targeted simply for perceived alignment in international disputes. The solution? Stop waiting for perfection. Start building resilience today.