Digital Executive Protection: the New Corporate Mandate
April 8, 2025 in Security by Tech Scout
Digital executive protection (DEP) is a holistic program for securing executives and their families in their personal lives to protect corporate assets from cyber threats.
The lines between cybersecurity and physical safety are blurring. Case in point: company executives and board members are under attack – both physically and digitally. Business leaders are high-value targets to cybercriminals who exploit their personal networks, private data, and home devices to gain a foothold in the organization and access sensitive information.
Most organizations focus on the physical protection of company leaders, leaving digital protection a gaping hole in the company’s security program. At the same time, traditional cybersecurity measures focus on corporate systems and digital infrastructure but don’t extend beyond the company’s “four walls.” The absence of personal digital protection for business leaders leaves executives’ and their families’ digital lives exposed, creating a significant risk vector for organizations.
Research shows that 42% of CISOs report attacks targeting executives’ personal lives. This startling number will only continue to grow unless companies take the necessary steps to protect their leadership teams in the physical and digital realms.
The expanding digital attack surface
The digital landscape broadens daily as the number of devices, applications, and online services in use by businesses and consumers continuously expands. C-suite leaders and high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs) are particularly vulnerable when it comes to personal digital protection, given their public visibility, wealth, and lack of cybersecurity expertise. Knowing this, sophisticated criminals target executives’ and their families’ personal online accounts, homes, and digital footprints for financial gain, blackmail, or reputation damage.
Some of the most common methods employed by cybercriminals include:
Account takeovers – when a cybercriminal overtakes a social media, bank account, or email account to steal money or data and extort the individual/family.
Phishing/smishing/fishing scams – when cybercriminals lure targets by email, text, or phone to a malicious site that appears to be an official entity, such as a bank or government agency. They then trick them into revealing their login credentials or a credit card number.
Identity theft – when a fraudster finds ways to steal personal information to open credit card accounts, make purchases, or even file fake tax returns.
Wire transfer fraud – when an individual is tricked (often through social engineering) into wiring money to a fraudulent account.
AI-generated deepfakes – the use of synthetic media (videos, images, and more), facial manipulation, and voice cloning targeting business leaders and their families to enable cybercriminals to access corporate data, compromise an executive’s reputation, and achieve financial gain.
Digital Executive Protection: A Framework for Executive Safety
While some may argue for severely restricting one’s online activities or removing them altogether, a balance between having a safe, smart digital footprint and enjoying the convenience of technology is very much achievable. It simply requires having the right safety mechanisms in place for executives, extending from their professional to personal lives and providing cover for their families and friends as well. In fact, robust data protection strategies can serve as a shield against both digital and physical threats.
To anyone not specializing in cybersecurity, personal protection can be a complex maze of managing multiple devices, passwords, and security measures. Such an approach – known as Digital Executive Protection – typically entails having a trusted partner to handle the legwork and ongoing digital protection management so business leaders, CISOs, and CSOs can focus on their day-to-day operational responsibilities.
Digital executive protection (DEP) is a holistic program for securing executives and their families in their personal lives to protect corporate assets from cyber threats.
Key Components of Digital Executive Protection:
Privacy: Protecting personal information from unauthorized access and exposure.
Identity Theft Protection: Monitoring for and mitigating identity theft risks.
Deepfake Protection: Detecting and preventing the malicious use of AI-generated synthetic media.
Financial Protection: Safeguarding personal finances from cyberattacks and fraud.
Personal Device Hardening & Protection: Securing personal devices (computers, smartphones, tablets) from malware and unauthorized access.
Home Network Hardening, Monitoring & Protection: Protecting home networks from intrusion and securing connected devices (IoT).
Social Media Protection: Hardening social media accounts and managing online reputations.
Family Protection: Extending protection to family members who may be targeted through association.
Physical Security: Integrating physical security measures with digital protection strategies.
Personal Cyber & Identity Theft Insurance Coverage: Conducting detailed risk assessments and offering expert recommendations.
Education and Training: Providing ongoing education and training to executives and their families on cybersecurity best practices.
Incident Response Support: Provide coordinated strategies to quickly identify, contain, and mitigate personal security incidents that impact the company.
At BlackCloak, we have worked diligently to become the leading authority in personalized safety and protection, serving thousands of executives through our tailored cybersecurity services and technology platform. Our expertise, built on decades of experience and specialized knowledge, highlights the critical necessity of robust executive protection.
With the rise in physical violence and cybercriminals increasingly targeting executives’ personal lives to infiltrate corporate systems, we at BlackCloak emphasize the urgent need for defined Digital Executive Protection protocols and guidance. Our core mission is to educate and empower our clients on these essential security measures. As more executives seek our services, we are committed to establishing a comprehensive framework that provides leaders with enhanced safety and peace of mind.
More information about BlackCloak’s Digital Executive Protection: Framework & Assessment Methodology is available here.
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Shane M. Pitzer is the Director of Alliances at BlackCloak, where he leads partnership strategy to protect the personal digital lives of executives and high-profile individuals. With over two decades in cybersecurity and channel development, Shane has built and scaled alliance programs that prioritize trust, innovation, and long-term value.
He brings a deep understanding of the evolving threat landscape and a commitment to empowering leaders with discreet, proactive protection beyond the corporate perimeter. Shane is known for forging meaningful partnerships and driving results through character, competence, and a relentless focus on what matters most.
