PROTECT YOUR DIGITAL LIFE™
BlackCloak Wins 2025 Fortress Cybersecurity Award for Organizational Excellence
Orlando, FL – June 3, 2025 – BlackCloak, the pioneer in Digital Executive Protection for executive leaders, board members, and their families, as well as family offices and high-net-worth individuals, announced today that it has been named a winner in the 2025 Fortress Cybersecurity Awards, presented by the Business Intelligence Group. BlackCloak was recognized in the category of Organizational Excellence for its work in protecting systems, infrastructure, and data from the growing threat landscape.
The Fortress Cybersecurity Awards program honors the industry’s leading companies and professionals who exceed compliance standards to build and maintain secure systems and processes. Winners are selected based on innovation, measurable impact, and commitment to security best practices.
“The volume and complexity of threats facing organizations today is growing by the minute,” said Russ Fordyce, CEO of the Business Intelligence Group. “The winners of this year’s Fortress Cybersecurity Awards are not only keeping up – they’re setting the pace. We’re proud to honor BlackCloak for building systems and solutions that make us all more secure.”
BlackCloak was recognized for its comprehensive Digital Executive Protection Platform and services, designed to safeguard executives and their families from online threats across every facet of their connected worlds — from smart devices and online accounts to home networks. Services include data broker removal, sophisticated privacy protections, and monitoring and safeguarding their devices, home networks, and smart home technology. Its bespoke solutions and around-the-clock expert care deliver peace of mind to clients in knowing their family, identity, reputation, and finances are secured.
“We’re incredibly honored to receive this distinguished award for our Digital Executive Protection Platform. It’s a powerful affirmation of our dedication to providing unparalleled cybersecurity and privacy expertise to our clients,” said Ingrid Gliottone, Chief Experience Officer for BlackCloak. “Our mission is to empower organizations to shield their executives’ personal digital lives and give high-profile and high-net-worth individuals and their families reassurance that they are protected. This recognition underscores the vital impact of our 24/7 white-glove concierge security services in safeguarding them from evolving online threats.”
To learn more about the Fortress Cybersecurity Awards, visit: https://www.bintelligence.com/awards/fortress-cybersecurity-awards
About BlackCloak
BlackCloak protects corporate executives and high-profile individuals from cybersecurity, privacy, financial, and other reputational risks. Used by Fortune 500 companies across all industries, the BlackCloak Concierge Cybersecurity & Privacy™ Platform is a holistic solution that includes mobile and desktop apps and concierge support. Executives and high-profile individuals gain complete peace of mind knowing their family, reputation, and finances are secured. Companies rest assured that their brand, intellectual property, data, and finances are protected against threats from executives without invading their personal lives. Learn more at www.blackcloak.io and follow us on LinkedIn.
About Business Intelligence Group www.bintelligence.com
The Business Intelligence Group was founded with the mission of recognizing true talent and superior performance in the business world. Unlike other industry award programs, these programs are judged by business executives with real-world experience. The organization’s proprietary scoring system measures performance across multiple business domains and rewards companies whose achievements are significant and measurable.
Media Contact
Liz Youngs
Trier & Co. for BlackCloak
[email protected]
Eliana Starbird
Chief Nominations Officer
Business Intelligence Group
+1 909-529-2737
[email protected]
Ponemon Institute Report: Escalating Attacks Targeting Corporate Executives Point to Urgent Need for Digital Executive Protection
Key Takeaways:
- The Digital Executive Protection Report 2025, informed by the latest findings from the Ponemon Institute, provides a detailed look into how executive protection has increased in urgency since the 2023 report.
- The report reveals a notable increase in attacks on business leaders over the last two years, according to survey respondents, from 43% in 2023 to 51% in 2025.
- Deepfake impersonation attacks targeting executives have increased over the last two years, from 34% of respondents reporting an incident in 2023 to 41% of respondents in 2025.
- The report reveals a growing fear that digital attacks on executives could escalate into physical harm, with 50% anticipating such threats and 63% now offering self-defense training – a 15% rise since 2023.
- Meanwhile, only 48% currently incorporate Digital Executive Protection into their security strategies, a marginal increase from 42% in 2023, pointing to a critical gap in safety and security that can have significant consequences for leaders and their organizations.
Orlando, FL – June 3, 2025 – BlackCloak, the pioneer in Digital Executive Protection for executive leaders, board members, and their families as well as family offices and high-net-worth individuals, announced today a new report, Digital Executive Protection Report 2025, an overview of the ongoing rise of cyber threats targeting business leaders and their families and how organizations are responding.
The Ponemon study, sponsored by BlackCloak and conducted independently by Ponemon, surveyed 586 security professionals in the U.S. The report reveals that from 2023 to 2025, the percentage of organizations reporting targeted attacks on executives increased from 43% to 51%. In 2025, 22% of organizations reported experiencing seven to 10 cyberattacks, compared to 15% in 2023. Concern over potential future attacks remains consistently high at 62%.
Additionally, the survey results indicate a rise in deepfake attacks targeting executives, with 34% of respondents reporting an incident in 2023 and 41% of respondents in 2025.
The impersonation of trusted contacts and urgent demands for payments or information about a detected security breach are the most commonly deployed tactics.
Physical and Digital Threats Are No Longer Separate Concerns
The report points to another alarming trend: a digital attack on an executive can lead to cybercriminals using their personal information to cause physical harm. In 2025, half (50%) of those surveyed believe their executives will be the target of a physical attack in the future. In response, 63% of respondents say their organization currently offers self-defense training for executives, an increase of 15% from 2023.
While 62% of security professionals believe their executives will likely be the target of a cybercriminal attack in the future, only 43% provide training on how to secure their personal digital assets. Of those, 38% provided such training following an attack. While deepfake attacks continue to climb, just 50% of respondents have plans to train their executives to recognize such a threat.
“The Ponemon report confirms what we see on the front lines every day — the threat landscape is shifting rapidly, and executives are now the bullseye for both cyber and physical attacks,” said Dr. Chris Pierson, Founder and CEO of BlackCloak. “As deepfakes, impersonation scams, and personal digital intrusions become more common, securing the company network is no longer enough. Organizations must protect the humans behind the business — their leaders and their families — or risk devastating consequences. Digital Executive Protection is no longer a nice-to-have; it’s a core component of enterprise risk management.”
Defending the Corporate Battlefront Now Includes the Home
The home has become the new battleground in cybersecurity. As the lines between personal and professional lives continue to blur, cybercriminals are exploiting this overlap, targeting home networks and personal devices as entry points into corporate systems.
The report findings show that since 2023, there has been a sharp rise in cyberattacks that exploit vulnerabilities in executives’ homes, with the theft of intellectual property and breaches of home networks rising to the second and third most common impacts of executive-targeted attacks in 2025. That’s a notable change from two years ago, when the most damaging outcomes after financial loss were the erosion of business relationships and regulatory non-compliance.
Despite the known risks, only 48% of organizations include Digital Executive Protection (DEP) in their security strategies, up slightly from 42% in 2023. Combined with poor training and limited visibility into executives’ digital lives, this leaves a dangerous gap that cybercriminals are ready to use to their advantage.
DEP is a holistic approach to safeguarding executives and their families in their personal lives, and subsequently the company itself, from online threats. It encompasses a range of services and technologies designed to:
- Reduce their digital footprint: Minimizing the amount of personal information exposed online.
- Monitor their personal devices and home networks for threats: Proactively identifying and mitigating potential cyber risks.
- Educate and train: Empowering executives and their families to make informed decisions about their online activities.
- Perform incident response: Rapidly addressing threats before they escalate into breaches of the enterprise.
BlackCloak offers a comprehensive privacy and cybersecurity platform and services to safeguard executives and their families from online threats across every facet of their connected worlds — from smart devices and online accounts to home networks. Services include data broker removal, sophisticated privacy protections, and monitoring and safeguarding of their devices, home networks, and smart home technology. Its bespoke solutions and around-the-clock expert care deliver peace of mind to clients in knowing their family, identity, reputation, and finances are secure.
To download a copy of Digital Executive Protection Report 2025, visit https://blackcloak.io/white-papers-reports/ponemon-digital-executive-protection-report-2025/.
About Ponemon Institute
Advancing Responsible Information Management
Ponemon Institute is dedicated to independent research and education that advances responsible information and privacy management practices within business and government. Our mission is to conduct high-quality, empirical studies on critical issues affecting the management and security of sensitive information about people and organizations.
We uphold strict data confidentiality, privacy and ethical research standards. We do not collect any personally identifiable information from individuals (or company identifiable information in our business research). Furthermore, we have strict quality standards to ensure that subjects are not asked extraneous, irrelevant or improper questions. For more information, visit ponemon.org.
About BlackCloak
BlackCloak protects corporate executives and high-profile individuals from cybersecurity, privacy, financial, and other reputational risks. Used by Fortune 500 companies across all industries, the BlackCloak Concierge Cybersecurity & Privacy™ Platform is a holistic solution that includes mobile and desktop apps and concierge support. Executives and high-profile individuals gain complete peace of mind knowing their family, reputation, and finances are secured. Companies rest assured that their brand, intellectual property, data, and finances are protected against threats from executives without invading their personal lives. Learn more at www.blackcloak.io and follow us on LinkedIn.
Media Contact
Liz Youngs
Trier & Co. for BlackCloak
[email protected]
Securing the Unseen: Why Digital Executive Protection Is A Business Imperative – Dr. Chris Pierson Shares Expert Insights at Gartner Security & Risk Management Summit June 10, 2025
Orlando, FL – May 28, 2025 – BlackCloak, the pioneer in Digital Executive Protection for executive leaders, board members, and their families as well as family offices and high-net-worth individuals, announces that its Founder and CEO, Dr. Chris Pierson, is a featured expert at the Gartner Security & Risk Management Summit.
His session, Securing the Unseen: Why Digital Executive Protection Is A Business Imperative, will delve into real-world examples of targeted attacks against corporate executives and the latest threat vectors, illustrating how cybercriminals exploit personal vulnerabilities to infiltrate enterprises. He’ll also discuss the essential components of a holistic Digital Executive Protection (DEP) program and why it is imperative for security leaders.
Dr. Pierson’s session will take place on Tuesday, June 10, 2025, at 10:00 AM ET.
A former CISO, cybersecurity visionary and privacy expert who served for over a decade as a special government employee on the Cybersecurity and Privacy Committees for the Department of Homeland Security, Dr. Pierson is a frequently sought-after commentator for major news outlets, including The New York Times, Forbes, Wall Street Journal, MSNBC, CNBC, and Schwab Network. He will bring his decades of experience and unique perspectives to this year’s event, leading engaging discussions and offering practical solutions in his talk.
“Having served as a government cybersecurity expert and former CISO, Chris recognized the missing link from organizations’ ability to fully protect themselves by overlooking the vulnerabilities brought forth by business leaders’ personal digital lives,” said Tracey Moon, Chief Marketing Officer for BlackCloak. “He launched BlackCloak as a visionary and innovator to provide a much-needed technology solution and concierge cybersecurity services to address this critical challenge for CISOs and organizations they serve. His session at Gartner will provide a compelling discussion of the nature of Digital Executive Protection and why it’s now a business imperative that extends beyond privacy and the removal of personal data from online sources. He will deliver a roadmap for how forward-thinking security leaders should approach this critical aspect of a corporate cybersecurity strategy.”
Dr. Chris Pierson: A Distinguished Privacy and Security Authority
Dr. Chris Pierson brings a rare blend of legal expertise, technological insight, and executive cybersecurity leadership to the battle against modern digital threats. His career includes key roles such as Chief Information Security Officer for fintech firms and Chief Privacy Officer for the U.S. operations of the Royal Bank of Scotland. He has also served on the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity Subcommittee and the Data Privacy and Integrity Advisory Committee. As the founder and CEO of BlackCloak, Dr. Pierson has channeled his deep experience into a singular mission: safeguarding the personal digital lives of executives, high-net-worth individuals, and their families.
Throughout his career, Dr. Pierson has consistently pushed the boundaries of cybersecurity and privacy innovation. He has shaped critical industry standards and served as a trusted advisor to government agencies on matters of national cyber defense and infrastructure protection. As both a legal authority and a hands-on cybersecurity leader, he offers a rare, practical perspective that bridges policy, strategy, and implementation, making him a driving force in the protection of individuals at the highest levels of business and society.
To register to attend Dr. Chris Pierson’s Gartner session, visit https://www.gartner.com/en/conferences/na/security-risk-management-us/register.
About BlackCloak
BlackCloak protects corporate executives and high-profile individuals from cybersecurity, privacy, financial, and other reputational risks. Used by Fortune 500 companies across all industries, the BlackCloak Concierge Cybersecurity & Privacy™ Platform is a holistic solution that includes mobile and desktop apps and concierge support. Executives and high-profile individuals gain complete peace of mind knowing their family, reputation, and finances are secured. Companies rest assured that their brand, intellectual property, data, and finances are protected against threats from executives without invading their personal lives. Learn more at www.blackcloak.io and follow us on LinkedIn.
