With an estimated $188.36 billion invested in information security and risk-management cybersecurity in 2023, corporations understand the essential nature of cybersecurity in protecting their human, capital, and data assets. However, even with these significant protections, there continue to be reports of successful attacks disrupting large scale corporations’ operations. How can that be the case?

While there are many different reasons for corporate data breaches, studies reveal that cybercriminals are being creative and proactive in finding new vulnerabilities to exploit.

To that end, corporations too often make the mistake of believing corporate cybersecurity should cover high-access employees only during work hours. Yet executives and other high-profile employees remain at risk of cyberattacks all day and night. A cyberattack that compromises an executive’s home network can significantly impact a corporation at large. 

For that reason, executive threat protection works hand-in-glove with a corporation’s cyber defenses. Here are five ways cybersecurity for executives helps support the corporation’s cybersecurity at large. 

1. Prevent Lateral Attacks

CISOs know that every night an executive’s corporate device will be connected to a personal home network and/or other remote networks available in hotels, conferences, and airlines.  They design their controls for corporate devices for this eventuality.  However, as it relates to personal devices, there is no way for the CISO to understand what controls are being used on the device or network and therefore no way to control an attack on that device if used to connect to corporate email, documents, or other assets. 

Any data accessed through a personal device is subject to all the security weaknesses in that network. Many forms of infiltration, like social engineering, email threats, phishing, malware, and ransomware, can find their way into corporate networks through initial weaknesses exploited from computers at home. That’s why executive threat protection extends corporate cybersecurity defenses to protect all executive devices accessing sensitive corporate data.

2. Bolster Data Security

With each month that goes by, there are news reports of another large corporation subjected to a data breach. It’s clear that cybercriminals continue to find new and aggressive ways to target corporations’ private data.  Just this past month, LastPass announced that their hack was perpetrated by cybercriminals targeting the personal computer of a key individual, one of four with special access, in order to plant malware and “ride the connection” back into the company.

Executives and key personnel remain a frequent target, as they often have high-access to vast amounts of sensitive corporate data. And even for data they might not have direct access to, their position in the company usually gives them special access to those who do.

That’s why corporate data security must focus on protecting the digital security of executives against forms of infiltration and social engineering. 

3. Ensure Confidentiality

An executive’s email account is a treasure trove for hackers seeking access to confidential corporate information. Sensitive communications, ongoing negotiations, employee assessments, product plans, and other corporate and legal documentation all provide value to hackers—and can pose significant harm to the well-being of a corporation if released to competitors or the wider public.

That’s why it’s essential to value personal cybersecurity for executives as highly as any corporate cybersecurity defenses.

4. Control Reputation

The personal digital lives of executives and their families require protection, as hackers are not only interested in accessing sensitive corporate data. Frequently, the details of the private lives of executives and their families are just as sought after by those seeking to do harm.

Executives function as the high-profile faces of their companies, and their reputations are intricately connected to their businesses at large. Executive threat protection requires robust privacy protections for an executive’s entire family.

5. Protect Corporate Security Teams 

The final way executive threat protection services support corporate cybersecurity is in how they protect company security teams. Executive security and privacy protection fundamentally differ from traditional corporate cybersecurity, and specialty services are needed to protect both executives and corporate security teams.

With external executive threat protection, seclude your security team from the legal, privacy, ethical, and compliance burdens inherent to protecting executives’ digital lives. And in turn, executives can have peace of mind knowing that their families’ privacy remains intact, being managed by privacy-first disinterested parties. 

BlackCloak: Concierge Cybersecurity for Executives

BlackCloak is the pioneer of corporate executive threat protection. Our fully staffed, high-end team of cybersecurity and privacy experts knows the unique threats corporate executives face and the requirements of true protection. 

With our concierge cybersecurity client and remediation services, BlackCloak ensures bespoke client service to address questions or concerns—whatever they are, whenever you need answers. This holistic executive cybersecurity includes comprehensive personal device security, digital privacy protection, and home network security for executives and their families. Our real-time time reports and easy mobile and desktop access mean an executive’s cybersecurity status always remains at their fingertips, whether at home, at work, or on vacation.

To learn more about BlackCloak, request a demo to see how our digital security solution can benefit company executives and board members. To remain informed about the news and the recent advances in cybersecurity, including weekly threat reports, review BlackCloak’s executive cybersecurity blog. 

Contact us to secure your digital executive protection today.