The Internal Audit Foundation’s “2026 Global Summary Risk in Focus Report” provides one of the most comprehensive perspectives on the changing risk landscape facing organizations today. Based on over 4,000 survey responses from chief audit executives and audit leaders across 131 countries, as well as regional roundtables and in-depth interviews, the report offers valuable insights into how internal auditors must adapt their strategies in a world characterized by disruption, uncertainty, and rapid technological transformation.
While cybersecurity remains the number one global risk, cited by nearly three-quarters of respondents, the report highlights two areas that have surged most dramatically:
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Digital disruption, including artificial intelligence, increased by 9 percentage points compared to last year, with the sharpest growth reported in Latin America and the Middle East.
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Geopolitical uncertainty rose by 10 percentage points worldwide, with North America showing the steepest jump at 19 points, reflecting the influence of sudden policy shifts and trade tensions.
Other consistently high-ranking risks include business resilience, human capital, and regulatory change, though the weight of each risk varies strongly by region. In Europe and the Americas geopolitical risk is top of mind, while in Asia Pacific and the Middle East resilience and workforce concerns are more pressing.
A central theme of the study is the alignment between risks and audit priorities. Across most regions, internal audit functions spend the majority of their time on:
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Cybersecurity
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Governance and corporate reporting
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Business resilience
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Regulatory change
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Financial and liquidity management
Yet important gaps remain. Geopolitical uncertainty, despite its rising importance, is rarely audited directly but often covered indirectly through reviews of resilience, supply chains, or regulatory frameworks. Digital disruption also shows a significant gap, as internal audit struggles to build the technological expertise required to evaluate rapidly evolving systems and the governance structures around them. Human capital issues face a similar challenge, as auditors find it difficult to define concrete and auditable processes to address workforce shortages, cultural change, and generational shifts.
For the first time, the report provides a global industry analysis, showing how risk exposure and audit priorities vary across sectors. Financial services and the public sector consistently report high exposure to cybersecurity, governance, and fraud. Manufacturing and retail are heavily impacted by supply chain risks and market competition. Mining, energy, and agriculture report significant vulnerabilities to geopolitical shocks and climate change. Healthcare and education are highly focused on financial stability, resilience, and governance, reflecting the critical role these sectors play for society as a whole. These industry-level insights emphasize that internal audit must tailor its work not only to regional conditions but also to the specific dynamics of each sector.
The regional breakdown reinforces how diverse the risk landscape has become. Africa faces unique vulnerabilities in financial and liquidity risks while also grappling with digital literacy gaps in cybersecurity. Asia Pacific is strongly shaped by human capital concerns and competitive market pressures alongside rapid digital adoption. Europe struggles with geopolitical uncertainty, business resilience, and declining attention to climate risk despite worsening weather events. Latin America is experiencing dramatic increases in digital disruption and geopolitical risk while also contending with limited infrastructure. The Middle East shows high levels of investment in technology and AI, which create opportunities but also expose organizations to risks when adoption outpaces governance. North America stands out with surging geopolitical uncertainty and heightened digital disruption risks, particularly from generative AI, which is driving both innovation and new forms of cybercrime.
The overall message of the report is that internal auditors are increasingly expected to provide both assurance and advisory services in environments that are volatile, interconnected, and driven by technology. Boards and management rely on auditors not only for oversight but also for strategic guidance on emerging issues. This requires stronger collaboration with executive leadership, expanded coverage of digital risks, deeper involvement in resilience and supply chain planning, and the development of new skills in technology, data analytics, and geopolitical analysis. Internal audit is being pushed into a more proactive role, where foresight, adaptability, and speed are just as critical as traditional assurance.
The “2026 Global Summary Risk in Focus Report” is therefore more than a benchmarking exercise. It is a roadmap for internal auditors and governance leaders worldwide, showing where risks are intensifying, where audit functions must catch up, and how the profession can evolve to meet the demands of a fast-changing global environment. The full report is freely available through the Internal Audit Foundation, and a direct link to the publication can be found here.