Which Countries Are Most Prepared For AI-Powered Cyberattacks?

An April 2026 report on AI cyber threats found that Uruguay is the world's most resilient country against hacking attacks. With cybercrime now costing the global economy over $1 trillion annually, a new study by iGaming software provider Digitain

Uruguay stops hackers better than any country in the world, keeping nearly 98% of its devices safe from cyberattacks. Brits and Americans are among the most tech-savvy people, scoring 85/100 in digital literacy, which helps them recognize phishing scams better. France has built some of the world's best cybersecurity systems rated at 89/100, stopping hackers from breaking into 93% of its computers.

The research looked at how many computers in each country face cyberattacks like viruses and ransomware. Countries were ranked based on how many threats they detected. To understand why some nations defend better than others, the study examined GDPs to estimate available cybersecurity budgets, internet access levels, and how many companies use AI, which helps block threats automatically. The report also looked at government security policies and tech infrastructure in each country.

Cyber threat exposure: 2.3% Average income per person: $24.3K Government cybersecurity strength: 80.8/100 Companies using AI security: 22.5% Technology infrastructure score: 71.7/100 National innovation ranking: 29.1/100

Uruguay has the best protection against hackers anywhere in the world. Only 2.3% of the country's computers face active cyber threats right now, meaning 97.7% stay completely secure from viruses and ransomware. Uruguay manages this through government policies that score 81 out of 100 for cybersecurity, requiring companies to meet strict security standards.

Qatar is the second-most resilient country when it comes to cybersecurity. The state manages to protect almost 95% of its citizens' devices from malware. One of the reasons behind this success is that Qatar has one of the highest incomes globally at $71K per person, helping to fund expensive cyber defense. The companies here are also adopting AI at a fast pace, with nearly 40% of them using it regularly. This indicates that many are already capable of implementing automated systems to detect malicious activities more easily.

Bulgaria ranks third, protecting about 95% of its computers from hackers. With this, it matches Qatar's level of protection, even though it has more than three times less income. Despite the smaller budget, Bulgaria also scores 81 out of 100 for cybersecurity rules, enforcing equally strict rules for privacy as Uruguay. Around 27% of Bulgarian businesses now also use AI actively, helping them spot and block viruses without human oversight.

Switzerland takes fourth place with only 6.7% of its devices exposed to hacking attacks. The country has the highest income at $111K per person, but that wealth also makes local banks prime targets for organized cyber criminals. That's why the Swiss government invests heavily in implementing firewalls, scoring 79.2 in cybersecurity policies. With 35% AI adoption, many threats get caught automatically as well. Plus, locals here are quite tech-savvy (81/100), making it unlikely they can be tricked easily by scammers.

France rounds out the top five. The country scores highest in the cybersecurity index (89/100) and protects 93% of its computers from malware as a result. People here have also been adopting AI tools faster than others, with 44% already using them. This means nearly half of French companies can now let bots handle threat detection. With $49K per person in income, France also has enough financial resources to fund cybersecurity projects across government agencies for better protection.

A cybersecurity expert from Digitain commented on the study:

"Cybercrime is now among the top 20 largest industries in the world. Criminal groups running ransomware operations make more money annually than most countries' entire GDP. What makes this worse is that AI now lets these gangs launch thousands of attacks simultaneously. Even a single hacker with AI tools can now target hundreds of companies at once, testing for weak passwords or outdated software automatically. That's why governments need to get serious about this.”

You can access the complete research findings here.

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