The era of the "break-in" is over; the era of the "log-in" has begun. A startling new report by PwC reveals that cybercriminals are no longer hacking firewalls—they are stealing identities to walk through the front door.

The PwC 2026 Global Digital Trust Insights survey serves as a red alert for the banking and business sectors. Cybersecurity has emerged as the number one risk for executives, eclipsing even economic volatility.The report highlights a terrifying shift in tactics: "identity-centric" operations where attackers exploit legitimate accounts to bypass defenses undetected. For Kenya’s rapidly digitizing banking sector, this is a clear and present danger.

The Kenyan Context

With Kenya leading the continent in mobile money and digital banking adoption, the attack surface is vast. Local banks are already seeing a spike in SIM-swap fraud and phishing attacks that mirror the global trends identified by PwC. The report notes that 60% of business leaders are increasing cyber investments, but a staggering "knowledge gap" remains the biggest barrier to defense.

“Adversaries increasingly ‘log in’ rather than ‘break in’,” the report states. This means your password, not your firewall, is the new frontline. The rise of "Agentic AI"—autonomous AI agents used for both defense and attack—signals an arms race where machines fight machines at speeds humans cannot comprehend.

• The Shift: From malware to identity theft and credential harvesting.
• The Response: 84% of CEOs plan to strengthen enterprise-wide cybersecurity to counter geopolitical risks.
• The Gap: Only 6% of organizations feel confident across all vulnerabilities.

A Call to Action

The findings are a wake-up call for Nairobi’s C-suites. Investing in software is no longer enough; companies must invest in "cyber-resilience" culture. As digital banking accelerates, the trust of the Kenyan consumer is the currency at risk. If the banks cannot secure the "log-in," the digital economy stands on a foundation of sand.