Why You Need an Executive Protection Program: Real World Scenarios

Your executives are the face of your organization. Even if they aren’t in the media, they’re leading innovation, steering strategy, and making high-stakes decisions. But that visibility comes with risk. Cybercriminals, fraudsters, and even physical threat actors are constantly scanning for weak points to exploit. In this post, we’ll dive into why every organization needs an executive protection program, explore real-world scenarios that illustrate the stakes, and highlight what to look for in a solution that keeps your leaders safe.

Why Your Organization Needs an Executive Protection Program

It’s clear that in 2025, executives are high-value targets. Their personal information is easily exposed through social media, data broker sites, and the dark web, creating a direct path for cybercriminals and physical threat actors. In fact, ZeroFox has found that six in ten executives have personally identifiable information (PII) for sale on underground marketplaces. And 75% have experienced credential exposure​. Attackers exploit this data to launch phishing campaigns, impersonation scams, and account takeovers that can lead to financial fraud, reputational damage, and corporate data breaches. Worse, these threats aren’t just digital. More than 50% of CEOs have received a physical threat in the last year. 

But the threats executives face don’t exist in silos. A deepfake-fueled scam or a fraudulent social media account can all be stepping stones to larger attacks. They can compromise not just the executive, but the organization itself. A strong executive protection program bridges the gap between digital and physical security, continuously monitoring threats, removing exposed PII, and delivering real-time intelligence to mitigate risks before they escalate.

Learn more about building your executive protection program in our recent webinar. Check out Beyond the Bodyguards: A Roundtable Discussion on Executive Protection.

Proactive Executive Protection: Real-World Scenarios

We’ve mentioned a few of the threats that executives face today, like social media impersonations, deepfakes, and leaked PII. Every day, the ZeroFox Threat Intelligence team uncovers real threats targeting high-profile individuals, from cybercriminals orchestrating scams to physical security risks emerging from exposed data. Here are some real-world scenarios that highlight just how quickly an executive’s digital footprint can turn into a serious security incident.

Social Media Slip-Up Exposes PII

An innocent social media post meant to update close friends and family can turn into a security risk in seconds. The ZeroFox team uncovered an Instagram post from an executive’s child featuring a hospital bracelet from a recent visit. Believing their profile was private, the child unknowingly shared sensitive details—including their name, address, and Social Security number—with the public. This information could have been exploited for identity theft, doxxing, or worse. Fortunately, ZeroFox flagged the post, enabling a quick takedown and reinforcing the importance of strict privacy settings on social media.

Real-Time Threat Alerts Keep Executives Safe

When a company’s executives gathered for a Board of Directors meeting, they had no idea danger was just minutes away. An active shooter tweet hit near a monitored facility location, ZeroFox analysts triggered a physical security alert within minutes, delivering real-time suspect images and local updates directly to the client’s SOC and onsite contact. This rapid response not only safeguarded high-profile executives in attendance at that location, but also led to ongoing weekly syncs to enhance travel security.

Proactive Intelligence Helps Avert a Protest

A global clothing brand had been the target of activist campaigns. But when ZeroFox uncovered plans for a protest at a board member’s home, the stakes escalated. Acting fast, ZeroFox’s Protective Intelligence team launched deep-dive investigations into the event organizer, the protest itself, and potential risks to the executive. Armed with these insights, the company made a strategic decision to change its sourcing practices. This prompted the organizers to cancel the protest just one day before it was set to happen, averting a potential physical threat.

Partnering with Law Enforcement to Keep CEO Safe

ZeroFox traced a rambling, threatening message targeting a global company’s CEO to a known person of interest—historically linked to similar incidents—and discovered that, contrary to previous location sightings, the individual was residing closer to company offices than their security teams originally believed. Swift insight into this development allowed the client to accurately assess the risk, coordinate with local law enforcement, and reinstate regular executive threat assessments.

What to Look for in an Executive Protection Program

To truly safeguard your leadership from digital and physical threats, you need a solution that goes beyond basic monitoring. Here are five key features to look for in an effective executive protection program:

• Threat Intelligence and Monitoring Capabilities
• Digital Risk Protection and Privacy Safeguards
• Physical Security and Location Monitoring
• Automated Takedown Remediation
• AI and Integration with Threat Intelligence

Can your current executive protection program check all those boxes? ZeroFox can. Get a proactive, intelligence-driven executive protection program that stops threats before they escalate. See ZeroFox in action and discover how we can help safeguard your leadership.