DUBAI: Experts at the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting of the Global Future Councils and Cybersecurity on Tuesday discussed how global cyber defenders are attempting to outsmart cyber criminals by using financial and psychological strategies to anticipate and disrupt attacks before they occur.
The session, titled “Inside the Cyber Criminal Mind,” examined how breakthroughs in 2025 have been achieved through innovative cross sector cooperation, and how these lessons could shape stronger cyber defenses in 2026.
Max Smeets, co-director of Virtual Routes, noted that the line between digital vulnerability and reputational damage is increasingly blurred as cyberattacks evolve.
“Attackers can accelerate access and get into one’s files — what can one do? Do you pay them a ransom to make them go away or refuse to pay and try to get a back up of your files?” he asked the audience.
He described how victims often face a cascade of scenarios following an attack.
