{"id":184986,"date":"2026-02-06T04:04:00","date_gmt":"2026-02-06T09:04:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/testing.news-you-need.com\/index.php\/2026\/02\/06\/veronica-canton-optimized-leverage-on-cybersecurity-risk\/"},"modified":"2026-02-06T04:10:09","modified_gmt":"2026-02-06T09:10:09","slug":"veronica-canton-optimized-leverage-on-cybersecurity-risk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/testing.news-you-need.com\/index.php\/2026\/02\/06\/veronica-canton-optimized-leverage-on-cybersecurity-risk\/","title":{"rendered":"Veronica Canton, Optimized Leverage\u00a0on cybersecurity risk"},"content":{"rendered":"

Veronica Canton, Optimized Leverage\u00a0on cybersecurity risk<\/a><\/p>\n

https:\/\/securityjournalamericas.com\/veronica-canton-cybersecurity-risk\/<\/a><\/p>\n

Publish Date: 2026-02-06 04:04:00<\/a><\/p>\n

Source Domain: securityjournalamericas.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Author: <\/a><\/p>\n

Using an unordered list, summarize the following article with between 4 and 8 key points.
\nThe Americas are experiencing rapid changes in cybersecurity risk, accelerated AI adoption and a fragmented regulatory landscape, says Veronica Canton, Founder and Chief Vision Officer, Optimized Leverage.<\/p>\n

Cybersecurity in 2026<\/p>\n

As a cybersecurity, data privacy and AI attorney advising transnational corporations, I see 2026 as the year when cybersecurity, AI governance and compliance will be highly interconnected.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In the US, we will witness the ongoing evolution of business email compromise (BEC), ransomware and AI-enabled fraud. <\/p>\n

Threat actors (TA) will use AI-powered tools to bypass multi-factor authentication (MFA) and execute BEC and ransomware with greater precision. <\/p>\n

There will be an increase in BECs that will turn into ransomware attacks that expose consumer data, thereby increasing regulatory compliance and reporting obligations for impacted companies. <\/p>\n

A company\u2019s size will remain irrelevant; TAs will continue attacking small, medium and large corporations alike. No industry will be safe from targeted attacks.<\/p>\n

The expansion of state-level privacy laws will continue impacting how companies secure data, manage vendors, create or update cybersecurity response programs and govern AI systems.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The operational costs of mismanaging data, cybersecurity incidents or deploying AI without proper safeguards to protect against TAs will increase regulatory exposure and class-action litigation risk.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Canada will see regulators signal stronger expectations for transparency, breach notification and AI accountability in 2026. <\/p>\n

As businesses move towards modernizing and implementing AI, similar to the US, TAs will target Canadian small, medium and large companies that hold consumer data, yet lack proper intrusion detection or cybersecurity incident response programs. <\/p>\n

Compliance will be a key factor in companies building stronger governance structures capable of meeting the increased regulatory scrutiny.<\/p>\n

Latin America represents both the region of greatest vulnerability and greatest opportunity! <\/p>\n

Frameworks such as Brazil\u2019s General Data Protection Law (LGPD) have elevated expectations around governance and incident response. <\/p>\n

Nations like El Salvador, Chile, Mexico and Colombia are advancing reforms that strengthen consumer rights and cybersecurity reporting requirements. <\/p>\n

Yet the rapid digitalization, inconsistent infrastructure and constrained budgets will create gaps that TAs are highly likely to exploit. <\/p>\n

Coordinated ransomware attacks, supply-chain compromises, financial fraud and cross-border campaigns will continue to increase. <\/p>\n

TAs will target critical sectors such as energy and finance. <\/p>\n

Multinational organizations will have overlapping obligations across multiple LATAM jurisdictions, and possibly US and EU jurisdictions, all with their own timelines, disclosures and documentation requirements.<\/p>\n

Across the hemisphere, compliance will become one of the most influential forces shaping cybersecurity strategy. <\/p>\n

The businesses that thrive in 2026 will treat compliance as a strategic advantage. <\/p>\n

Success will depend on implementing proactive data-governance frameworks, embedding privacy-by-design into AI and investing in continuous monitoring and auditability. <\/p>\n

In a region where regulatory expectations and threat activity are accelerating simultaneously, the companies that will weather the storms will navigate these waters with clarity, adaptability, trust and proactive governance.<\/p>\n

Veronica Canton<\/p>\n

Veronica is an attorney specializing in cybersecurity, data privacy, AI and technology transactions.<\/p>\n

Currently serving as an Associate at Wilson Elser in Chicago, she provides strategic legal counsel on a broad range of matters.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Veronica is also the Founder and Chief Vision Officer of Optimized Leverage, an education company dedicated to helping professionals navigate the rapidly evolving fields of cybersecurity, data privacy and AI, as well as offering programs in professional and personal development. <\/p>\n

Her commitment to the field has been recognized with several awards, including being named the 2024 and 2025 Cybersecurity Woman Law Professional of the Year by the United Cybersecurity Alliance. <\/p>\n

She was also the recipient of WOMCY\u2019s Top Woman in Cybersecurity \u2013 Americas award in 2023.\u00a0<\/p>\n

This article was originally published in the February edition of Security Journal Americas. To read your FREE digital edition,\u00a0click here.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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