Insider risks have long been a critical concern in corporate security, traditionally encompassing threats from employees, contractors, or third-party vendors with access to sensitive information. However, as digital transformation accelerates, the convergence of physical and cyber threats has created new vulnerabilities. Executive protection (EP) professionals, historically tasked with safeguarding high-profile individuals from physical threats, now find themselves on the frontlines of combating cyber-criminal attacks. Expanding their skill sets to include cybersecurity awareness is no longer optional—it is a necessity.
This article explores insider risks, the growing need for executive protection professionals to adapt, and practical ways they can enhance their expertise to mitigate cyber threats targeting executives.
Types of Insider Threats
- Malicious Insiders: Employees or contractors who intentionally exploit their access to harm the organization, whether for financial gain, revenge, or espionage.
- Negligent Insiders: Individuals who inadvertently compromise security through poor cybersecurity hygiene, such as weak passwords, falling for phishing scams, or misplacing sensitive data.
- Compromised Insiders: Employees whose credentials have been stolen through cyberattacks, making them unwitting conduits for cybercriminal activities.
Insider threats can manifest in various ways, such as intellectual property theft, financial fraud, reputational damage, or even personal harm to executives through doxxing and cyberstalking.
The Expanding Role of Executive Protection Professionals
EP professionals traditionally focus on preventing physical threats such as kidnapping, surveillance, and unauthorized access. However, in today’s interconnected world, digital threats can be just as dangerous as physical ones. Cybercriminals leverage social engineering, deepfake technology, and online reconnaissance to exploit vulnerabilities in executives’ digital lives.
Key Areas Where EP Professionals Must Adapt:
- Cyber Awareness Training: Understanding common cyber threats, including phishing, malware, and social engineering tactics, to help executives recognize and avoid them.
- Digital Footprint Management: Reducing executives’ online exposure by monitoring their digital presence, limiting personal information online, and ensuring secure social media usage.
- Secure Communications: Encouraging encrypted communication channels to protect sensitive business and personal conversations.
- Travel Cybersecurity: Implementing measures to protect executives’ devices and data while traveling, such as using VPNs, disabling automatic Wi-Fi connections, and securing devices from potential compromise.
- Incident Response Coordination: Working alongside cybersecurity teams to ensure a swift and effective response in the event of a data breach or cyberattack targeting an executive.
Case Studies: Real-World Examples of Cyber Threats to Executives
The Jeff Bezos Phone Hack: Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon, fell victim to a sophisticated cyberattack when a malicious file was sent via WhatsApp from the phone number of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The attack resulted in unauthorized access to Bezos’ personal data, illustrating how even the most high-profile executives can be compromised through cyber means.
Key Takeaways for EP Professionals:
- Ensure that executives use encrypted and secure messaging platforms.
- Regularly audit and monitor digital communications for signs of intrusion.
The Twitter CEO SIM Swap Attack: Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey’s Twitter account was hijacked through a SIM swap attack, where hackers socially engineered a mobile carrier into transferring his phone number to a fraudulent SIM card. This allowed attackers to post messages from his account.
Key Takeaways for EP Professionals:
- Encourage executives to use multi-factor authentication (MFA) with authentication apps instead of SMS.
- Advise executives to lock down their accounts with mobile carriers to prevent SIM swap attacks.
The Sony Pictures Cyberattack: While not targeting an individual executive, the Sony Pictures breach, attributed to North Korean hackers, exposed executives’ personal emails, sensitive corporate data, and unreleased films. This resulted in reputational damage and financial losses.
Key Takeaways for EP Professionals:
- Collaborate with IT teams to implement secure email policies and encryption.
- Educate executives on the risks of discussing sensitive matters via unprotected digital channels.
Enhancing EP Skill Sets for Cybersecurity
For executive protection professionals to effectively safeguard high-profile individuals against cyber threats, they must develop expertise in cybersecurity fundamentals. Here’s how:
- Obtain Cybersecurity Certifications: Consider certifications such as Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH), or Cybersecurity Awareness Training.
- Participate in Cybersecurity Drills: Work with corporate cybersecurity teams to conduct simulated phishing attacks and cyber incident response exercises.
- Build Relationships with Cybersecurity Teams: Establish close collaboration with IT security teams to ensure a holistic security approach that integrates both physical and digital protection.
- Educate Executives on Cyber Hygiene: Provide personalized cybersecurity training to executives, including password management, safe browsing habits, and recognizing social engineering tactics.
- Leverage OSINT (Open-Source Intelligence): Use OSINT techniques to monitor for executive-related threats on the dark web, social media, and hacker forums.
- Adopt Secure Technology Solutions: Equip executives with secure devices, encrypted communications, and biometric authentication to enhance their digital security.
The line between physical and digital security is blurring, making it imperative for executive protection professionals to adapt and broaden their expertise. By understanding insider risks and integrating cybersecurity best practices into their protection strategies, EP professionals can offer a more comprehensive security framework for executives. In today’s digital age, an executive’s safety is no longer just about bodyguards and secure perimeters—it’s also about safeguarding their digital lives from cyber threats.
By staying ahead of emerging risks and continually updating their skill sets, executive protection professionals can position themselves as indispensable assets in the modern security landscape.
By Alan Saquella, Assistant Professor Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University College of Business, Security and Intelligence