What’s Inside an Executive Protection Plan? A Sample Breakdown

Today's executives face risks that extend far beyond the boardroom. Between December 2024 and January 2025, over 2,200 threats were aimed at corporate executives and 23% of executives report threats against themselves and their families. In this context, it’s clear that organizations that want to protect their leaders and, by extension, their business operations need robust executive protection plans. However, in an interconnected world where online threats can quickly develop into offline dangers, traditional physical security measures alone aren't enough. Read on to learn how to formulate an executive protection plan that safeguards your organization’s most valuable assets.

The Modern Executive Threat Landscape

The threat environment for high-profile individuals has evolved dramatically in recent years as the line between digital and physical security becomes increasingly fuzzy. According to Kenny Clessas, Director of Services and Analysis at ZeroFox, targeting of executives isn't anything that's necessarily new, but “we have seen a rapid evolution of threats since the pandemic.”

“A lot of this is centered around changing where executives are being targeted, from a physical perspective. A lot of it moved from the corporate environment to their homes, to events,” he says.

Broadly, today's executives face four primary categories of threats, which any comprehensive executive protection plan must address:

Digital Threats

Digital threats include impersonations, credential theft, account takeovers, and data breaches. According to ZeroFox data, 75% of executives have already experienced credential exposure, making them prime targets for cybercriminals.

“With generative AI, with deep fakes, the impersonations are taken to a whole new level,” notes Olga Polishchuk, Principal Director of Intelligence at ZeroFox. In one case, a threat actor created “a seven-minute audio clip with a fake CEO voice that went into very much detail about why they need this financial transaction completed.” The scammers made their hoax even more believable by citing specifics from an unreleased press statement obtained from VirusTotal.

Privacy Concerns

Personal identifiable information (PII) exposure on data broker sites and the dark web creates significant vulnerability. The PII of over 60% of executives is for sale on underground marketplaces, according to ZeroFox research.

A ZeroFox Senior Product Director explains: “Data broker sites collect data from all sorts of sources. It could be forms, giveaways that people are filling out. It could be data that they're crawling from government websites.”

Reputational Damage

Brand damage through social exploitation can have lasting impacts on both the executive and the organization, frequently snowballing into financial loss for the business. Profile impersonations increased by 100% according to ZeroFox data, and their sophistication has also increased, with threat actors creating polished LinkedIn profiles that include professional accolades, endorsements, and even fabricated posts about attending prestigious conferences to strengthen their credibility. When these fake profiles are then used to reach out to potential victims with investment opportunities or partnership proposals, the damage extends beyond the executive to the entire brand ecosystem.

Physical Threats

Stalking, harassment, and real-world violence remain serious concerns. Kenny Clessas notes that physical threats have “manifested in sort of nuisance level targeting, whether it be car caravans through neighborhoods, chalk messages written on driveways and sidewalks, all the way up to vehicle vandalization and in some cases, arson as well.”

The scope of these threats has expanded significantly in recent years. According to ZeroFox research, more than 50% of CEOs received a physical threat in the past year, while 88% of companies report experiencing an increase in physical threats overall. These incidents often start with digital exposure—when an executive's home address or travel plans are leaked online, they become vulnerable to targeted attacks at their residence or while on the move.

Executives are increasingly targeted because of their company's policies, political stances, or environmental impact. As Clessas explains, “Even if you're adjacent to top-of-mind or controversial social causes, your brand—and by extension, your executives—may be lumped into that conversation, and that could be a catalyst for some type of physical activity.”

The 5 Key Ingredients of an Executive Protection Plan

A comprehensive executive protection plan must integrate multiple layers of security to address the varied threats that may appear. Here's a breakdown of the essential components that should be included in your executive protection plan checklist:

1. Risk Assessment and Threat Intelligence

Every effective protection plan begins with a thorough risk and threat assessment. This involves:

• Evaluating the executive's profile and visibility
• Analyzing their industry, position, and public statements
• Identifying specific threat actors or groups that may target them
• Assessing historical patterns of threats against similar executives
• Monitoring for emerging threats

2. Digital Protection Measures

Digital protection addresses the growing threat of online attacks and impersonations. This component includes:

• Monitoring for executive impersonations across social platforms
• Deep and dark web monitoring for credential exposure, attack chatter and PII leaks
• Social media account security and verification
• Automated takedown services for fraudulent profiles and content
• Digital threat intelligence collection and analysis

3.  Physical Security Protocols

While digital security is increasingly important, physical protection remains a cornerstone of executive security. Proactive alerting of physical threats to your executives is essential. Potential threats include:

• Stalking
• Digital planning of physical attacks
• Harassment
• Protests
• Acts of violence
• Indicators of unrest

Physical security must be tailored to the executive's specific needs and risk profile. For high-risk individuals, this might include 24/7 protection, while others may only require security during travel or public appearances.

4. PII Removal and Privacy Protection

Privacy protection focuses on reducing an executive's digital footprint to minimize potential attack vectors, but it must also take their loved ones into scope. “The reality is that executives are always the public face of the company, which makes them a great target for impersonation and phishing and doxing,” explains Olga Polischuk. 

“However, the attack surface really grows, and not too many individuals consider their family members as part of that attack surface.”

Key elements of privacy protection include:

• Ongoing detection and removal of PII from data broker sites
• Monitoring for exposed credentials and personal data
• Implementing privacy best practices for personal and professional accounts
• Family member protection and privacy awareness training

5. Travel Security and Intelligence

When executives travel, their risk profile changes dramatically and dynamically. Travel security components to be aware of include:

• Pre-travel intelligence gathering and risk assessments for destinations
• Real-time threat monitoring during travel
• Secure transportation arrangements
• Hotel and venue security coordination
• Emergency response planning and extraction procedures

Creating Your Executive Protection Risk Assessment

Building an effective executive protection plan starts with a comprehensive risk assessment. Here's a step-by-step approach that should be part of any executive protection checklist:

Step 1: Map Your Assets (Who To Protect)

Begin by identifying who needs protection. This includes:

• C-suite executives and board members
• High-visibility employees
• Those with access to sensitive information, such as finance or HR leadership
• Family members of protected individuals

Step 2: Deploy Automation and AI for Vulnerability Detection

Modern executive protection leverages advanced technology to identify vulnerabilities:

• AI-powered monitoring of social media platforms
• Automated alerts for credential exposure
• Image recognition for impersonation detection
• Natural language processing to identify threatening content

Step 3: Extend Visibility with Human Intelligence

Despite their impressive capabilities, AI and automation can only go so far, and must be paired with human expertise such as:

• Trained analysts to review and validate alerts
• Threat researchers to identify emerging trends
• Intelligence experts to provide context to technical findings
• Specialists to engage with threat actors when necessary

Step 4: Reduce Vulnerabilities with Proactive Measures

To achieve a significant reduction in risk, you must take proactive steps:

• Regular PII removal from data broker sites
• Enhanced security settings on personal accounts
• Travel security planning and advance work
• Family member education and awareness training

Executive Protection Plan Sample Framework for Physical Security

Of course, an executive protection plan must set out detailed physical security protocols to be effective against any threat that manages to slip past your other defenses. Here's a sample framework that provides practical examples of executive protection in action:

Core Protection Team Structure

A typical executive protection team includes:

• Executive Protection Manager: Oversees the entire program
• Close Protection Agents: Provide direct physical security
• Intelligence Analysts: Monitor threats and provide situational awareness
• Technical Security Specialists: Handle electronic surveillance and countermeasures
• Residential Security Officers: Secure the executive's home and property

Advance Planning Process

For travel and events, advanced planning is critical:

1. Pre-trip intelligence gathering and risk assessment
2. Route planning and alternative options
3. Venue security coordination and site surveys
4. Transportation arrangements and secure vehicle preparation
5. Local resource identification (hospitals, police, etc.)

Intelligence Collection and Dissemination 

A structured intelligence workflow ensures timely information reaches the right people. It includes:

• Daily intelligence briefings for the protection team
• Regular executive threat assessments using multiple intelligence sources
• Secure communication channels for distributing sensitive intelligence
• Structured reporting protocols with clear escalation pathways
• Integration of real-time intelligence feeds with physical security operations
• Feedback loops between field teams and intelligence analysts

Event Security Pre-Planning and Execution

Event security requires detailed preparation and coordination:

• Advance site visits to identify vulnerabilities and entry/exit points
• Coordination with venue security and local law enforcement
• Establishment of secure areas and access control measures
• Development of specific threat profiles for the event location
• Emergency response protocols tailored to the venue
• Deployment of dedicated countersurveillance teams before and during events
• Post-event security sweeps and after-action reviews

Counter-Surveillance Techniques

Modern protection teams employ sophisticated counter-surveillance methods:

• Technical surveillance countermeasures (TSCM) sweeps of vehicles, offices, and residences
• Detection of surveillance devices and potential listening equipment
• Route variation and randomization of travel patterns
• Counter-surveillance operators deployed ahead of executive movements
• Social media monitoring for location disclosures and planned disruptions
• Recognition of surveillance indicators and anomalous behavior patterns
• Regular training and exercises to maintain counter-surveillance skills

Residential Security Checklist

Home security measures typically include:

• Access control systems and protocols
• Surveillance cameras and monitoring
• Perimeter security and intrusion detection
• Panic rooms or safe zones
• Emergency response procedures

Communication Protocols

Clear communication is essential during both normal operations and emergencies. To support it, you need:

• Regular check-in procedures
• Secure communication channels
• Code words for different scenarios
• Escalation procedures for different threat levels
• Emergency contact lists and procedures

Digital Components of Modern Executive Protection

Digital protection has become equally important as physical security, so any comprehensive executive protection plan checklist must include these digital elements:

Impersonation Monitoring

With social media impersonations on the rise, continuous monitoring is vital. You need capabilities such as:

• AI-powered image analysis to detect fake profiles
• Automated scanning of social platforms for unauthorized accounts
• Rapid takedown procedures for fraudulent profiles
• Monitoring of emerging platforms for new impersonation attempts

ZeroFox uses advanced image comparison technology to detect fraudulent profiles, even when subtle changes have been made to photos or branding elements. The platform can identify impersonations across major social networks and emerging platforms alike, addressing threats before they can damage an executive's reputation.

PII Removal from Data Broker Sites

To combat executives' personal information being routinely collected and sold by data brokers, you need:

• Continuous scanning of hundreds of data broker sites for executive PII
• Automated removal requests to eliminate exposed information
• Ongoing monitoring to prevent re-listing of removed data
• Family member protection to reduce the extended attack surface
• Regular reporting on PII exposure and removal effectiveness

ZeroFox's PII removal service automates this otherwise tedious process, ensuring executives' personal information stays off these broker sites.

Dark Web Monitoring

To ensure that the dark web isn’t a breeding ground for threats against executives, you must take steps to:

• Monitor for leaked credentials and PII
• Track mentions of the executive on underground forums
• Identify sale of executive data on illicit marketplaces
• Analyze threat actor communications and plans

ZeroFox's approach includes monitoring deep and dark web channels to provide early detection of information leaks, compromised credentials, and attack planning. The intelligence team has capabilities to engage with actors in these spaces when necessary, providing unique visibility into threats that might otherwise remain hidden from traditional security measures.

Integration of Digital Intelligence into Physical Security Operations

The best modern executive protection bridges the digital-physical divide with:

• Real-time physical security alerts based on social media activity
• Mobile applications that provide location-based threat intelligence
• Geolocation tracking during executive travel with threat overlay
• Coordination between digital intelligence analysts and physical security teams
• Early warning system for planned protests or demonstrations near executive locations

ZeroFox's Physical Security Intelligence equips security teams with near real-time alerts regarding potential threats at or near the executive's current or future locations. The “Scout Mode” setting within the PSI mobile app provides updates based on the executive's changing location via their mobile device, ensuring security teams stay informed about critical events.

ZeroFox's AI-Powered Intelligence Gathering Capabilities

ZeroFox leverages advanced AI to enhance executive protection:

• Machine learning models trained to identify potential threats
• Natural language processing to analyze tone and intent
• Computer vision to detect executive impersonations and synthetic media
• Behavioral analysis to identify anomalous patterns in online activity
• Automated scanning of over 7.7 million URLs and data sources weekly

Zerofox’s AI-powered approach enables the platform to process vast amounts of data and surface relevant threats that would be impossible to identify manually.

Protecting Executives' Digital Presence Through Takedowns

ZeroFox's takedown capabilities are unmatched in the industry:

• Over 1 million successful takedowns annually across all platforms
• 350,000+ takedowns including executive impersonation takedowns in a single year alone
• Global Disruption Network of partner ISPs, hosts, registrars, and CDNs
• Automated takedown requests with tracking and confirmation

As a ZeroFox Senior Product Director notes: “The FTC reported that over a billion dollars was lost to impersonation-related scams in 2023.” ZeroFox's rapid takedown capabilities help prevent financial losses and reputational damage by quickly removing fraudulent content.

Integration of AI-Powered Monitoring with Human Expertise

The most effective executive protection combines technology with human judgment:

• AI systems flag potential threats for human review
• Trained analysts validate alerts and provide context
• Human intelligence teams engage with threat actors when necessary
• Security experts develop customized protection strategies based on AI findings
• Continuous feedback loop between human analysts and AI systems

ZeroFox leverages a global team of threat experts who provide 24/7/365 managed services to review, triage, and escalate incidents based on your priorities.

Olga Polischuk emphasizes this point: “Human intelligence is necessary to act on alerts found via AI – without this, you risk getting bogged down with false alerts, red flags, and misaligned expectations.” ZeroFox's approach combines the speed and scale of AI with the judgment and experience of human security experts.

Deepfake Detection

As AI software advances, deepfake threats are growing. Technology to deal with these includes:

• Voice synthesis detection tools
• Video analysis to identify manipulated content
• AI-powered detection of synthetic media
• Rapid response procedures for deepfake incidents

ZeroFox monitors for both sophisticated deepfakes and what our Senior Product Director calls “cheap fakes”—content with minor modifications that can still be highly convincing. “We see a lot of what we call cheap fakes, where people are making really minor modifications to some of the content that's already out there to perpetrate these different scams,” he explains, highlighting the importance of vigilance against various forms of synthetic media.

Safeguard Leadership with ZeroFox Executive Protection

The days of relying solely on bodyguards are over—today's protection strategies must combine advanced technologies, human expertise, and proactive measures to shield executives from risk across domains.

By implementing a structured executive protection plan that addresses each of the components outlined in this breakdown, organizations can significantly reduce the risks that concern their leaders and, by extension, their entire operation

As threats continue to evolve, so too must executive protection plans. The most effective are those that adapt to emerging threats, leverage new technologies, and maintain the delicate balance between security and the executive's quality of life.

ZeroFox's experience protecting over 21,000 executives has resulted in a holistic approach that blends threat intelligence, digital monitoring, privacy protection, and physical security.

Want to learn more about how ZeroFox can help protect your executives from today's complex threats? Contact our team today for a demo and see our comprehensive executive protection plan in action.