The closely-connected nature of executives and their corporations means many CEOs are already the established targets of cybercriminals seeking access to corporate assets. When it comes to executive cybersecurity, it often is not a matter of whether an attack occurs, but when.

This is a significant concern for the safety, security, and reputations of both corporations and executives. And while the incurred costs of cyberattacks for corporations are already steep—on pace to average 5 million dollars in 2023—the potential risks to their executives are even higher. When an executive’s digital protection is compromised, it can impact both corporate accounts—and the privacy and safety of the executive’s family. 

Digital Executive Protection is essential for CEOs and other high-access and high-profile company executives. Thankfully, with the right, practical cybersecurity approaches, executives can trust that both their personal and corporate digital security remain resilient. To that end, this practical guide identifies the main ideas to consider when assessing digital protection for executives. 

Executive Cybersecurity is Corporate Cybersecurity

As a practical first step, executives should ask, “Is my personal cybersecurity as strong as my corporate defenses?”

If not, that’s a red flag. Executive digital protection is just as important as any other defense for a company’s security, reputation, and assets. 

Remember: any corporate data available to personal devices is subject to weaknesses in home networks. Even personal devices that do not carry sensitive data can be compromised, becoming vectors for corporate infiltration or exfiltration. Executives and their personal devices require round-the-clock digital protection—not just for hours they’re at work on corporate devices.

Executives’ home networks require the following:

  • Malware & Ransomware Protection
  • Endpoint Security
  • Phishing Protection
  • Data Breach & Data Leak Prevention
  • Network Security
  • Penetration Testing
  • And More

Executives’ home networks require the same levels of 24/7/365 monitoring, detection, and response capabilities as their corporate network. 

But Personal Cybersecurity Has Unique Requirements

While personal executive cybersecurity is essentially another facet of a corporation’s data security, the requirements and challenges are unique. Corporate cybersecurity models cannot simply be replicated or extended to home networks. Executives’ home networks are distinct environments that fundamentally change how cybersecurity must be enacted. 

For instance, corporate cybersecurity is not equipped to evaluate many of the following common potential home network vulnerabilities:

  • High-End Smarthome networks when installed incorrectly (e.g. Crestron, Savant, Control4, Lutron)
  • Network based security cameras (installed incorrectly or in insecure ways) 
  • Internet of Things devices
  • Family member computers and devices
  • Gaming computers and accounts

Yet the continued security of these many accounts and devices is integral to the cyberdefense of home networks—and vital to the safety of an executive’s family. 

This means specialty services are required for an executive’s personal cybersecurity.

Privacy is a Necessity

Perhaps the most significant challenge for executive digital cybersecurity is the necessity of personal privacy. Privacy demands of digital executive protection are fundamentally different from those of a larger corporation. 

For instance, while a corporation’s physical address is often innocuous information, a CEO’s address listing must be protected, as the recent rise of harassment techniques like doxxing and swatting have shown.

And in a broader sense, executives’ personal lives and private data should not be available to their IT and digital security employees. Executives require digital protection plans that simultaneously guarantee the utmost security and privacy.

Extend Digital Executive Protection to the Entire Family

No digital executive protection is complete until it protects an executive’s family. With any cyber defense, the system remains only as strong as its weakest point. Unfortunately, those weak points often are lesser-known accounts and devices belonging to family members. 

Digital executive protection must extend throughout the entirety of an executive family’s digital network, providing all users:

  • A personal Security Operations Center (SOC) and Concierge
  • Incident Response
  • Endpoint protection
  • Privacy enhancing protections – account reviews, VPN, data broker removal 
  • Home network protection
  • Multi-factor authentication 
  • Dark web scans
  • And more

Since cybersecurity requires synchronized defenses and organized layers of defense-in-depth, the best digital executive protection comes in all-in-one solution-based platforms. With unified platforms, cyber defense tools are integrated and effective—and extending them to the entire family remains simple, even with a family’s separate interests, accounts, and lives.  

Concierge Security Operations Center

Aside from technology, what really sets BlackCloak apart is the fact that it has a fully staffed, high-end team of cybersecurity and privacy experts who your executives can all rely upon. 

With our top-of-the-class concierge cybersecurity client and remediation services, we ensure personalized, bespoke client service to address questions or concerns. 

Technology without the Concierge is not sufficient.  

BlackCloak: All-in-One Executive Cybersecurity Protection

Executive cybersecurity should be built from the ground up with executives’ unique needs and threats in mind. That’s precisely what BlackCloak’s all-inclusive solution for digital executive protection offers.

At BlackCloak, our holistic executive cybersecurity includes personal device security, digital privacy protection, and home network security. Our real-time time reports and easy mobile and desktop access mean the status of an executive’s cybersecurity always remains at their fingertips.

BlackCloak is the only digital executive protection platform awarded as a service and a technology. As such, we’re committed to pushing the protective capabilities of cybersecurity even further. Review BlackCloak’s blog to remain informed about the news and the many recent advances in executive cybersecurity. 

To learn more about BlackCloak, request a demo to see how our digital security solution can benefit company executives and board members. 

Contact us to secure your digital executive protection today.