Research for CSC’s The State of Online IP Risk 2026 report has found that impersonation is the most frequently cited online intellectual property (IP) infringement concern among respondents, at 40%. Phishing and domain name abuse follow very closely behind, both at 39%.
The research surveyed 300 senior executives specialising in IP law, including general counsel, chief legal officers, and chief technology officers.
The findings come as organizations report a rise in online IP infringement. More than eight in ten respondents (82%) have seen infringement rise over the past 12 months, including 27% who have experienced a significant increase. Looking ahead, 29% expect a significant increase over the next year, rising to 52% over the next three years.
AI is expected to add further pressure. 90% of respondents believe that AI-enabled systems are increasing the frequency of online IP infringements and similar threats. Adding to this, almost all (98%) believe AI-enabled processes could expose their organizations to IP infringements over the next three years. More than two in five (43%) expect their organization to be ‘extremely’ exposed.
The growing volume of infringement is also creating operational pressure. Almost three-quarters (73%) noted slow enforcement processes as a challenge when managing IP infringements, while 65% pointed to small teams or a lack of dedicated staff and 64% cited the high volume of infringement activity.
59% said they outsource half or less of their infringement monitoring to specialist third parties.
Regulatory issues and penalties were cited by 66% of respondents as a significant consequence of IP infringement. CSC also identified lost revenue and customer harm as business impacts.
