UPDATE: New reports confirm a shocking rise in deepfake attacks targeting business executives, with the latest findings from the Ponemon Institute revealing that incidents have surged from 34% in 2023 to 41% in 2025. This alarming trend highlights an urgent need for enhanced cybersecurity measures for corporate leaders.
The 2025 Digital Executive Protection Report, based on a comprehensive survey of nearly 600 U.S. security professionals, indicates that 51% of executives reported being victims of various cyber attacks, up from 43% two years ago. The increasing digital footprint of executives, coupled with insecure home networks, has created a perfect storm for cybercriminals, putting both their personal and professional lives at risk.
Deepfake technology—AI-generated images and videos that can convincingly impersonate individuals—has become a primary weapon in these attacks. The Ponemon findings reveal that 28% of respondents reported being impersonated by trusted colleagues or family members, while 21% faced urgent demands for payment or sensitive information tied to fictitious security breaches.
Cybercriminals are taking advantage of the public profiles and social media presence of business leaders. With 42% of executives experiencing multiple deepfake attacks, the threat is not only immediate but also escalating. Alarmingly, 66% of professionals surveyed anticipate that their executives will face deepfake impersonation in the future.
The financial implications of these attacks are profound, though often unquantified. Most surveyed cited costs linked to staff time spent responding to breaches and the resources required to detect and remediate these incidents.
Why are deepfake attacks on the rise? The answer lies in the decreasing barrier to entry for creating realistic deepfakes, fueled by readily available AI tools. The Ponemon report cautions that many security teams lack the visibility needed to combat these tactics, with half of the respondents admitting they don’t have sufficient insight to prevent breaches.
As the cybersecurity landscape shifts, high-profile executives are becoming prime targets, not just for digital threats but also for potential physical attacks. Protecting these leaders and their families is crucial to mitigating corporate risks, making Digital Executive Protection a vital security strategy.
To combat these growing threats, organizations must adopt a multi-faceted approach. Implementing robust email security protocols, strong multi-factor authentication across all accounts, and secure password managers are essential steps. Additionally, continuous monitoring of personal devices and home networks is critical, alongside educating executives and their families on best online safety practices.
In case of an attack, swift action is paramount. Organizations should conduct data broker removal, initiate credit freezes, dispute fraudulent charges, and secure compromised accounts to prevent further financial loss or data breaches.
The Ponemon Report underscores a significant shift in the cybersecurity paradigm: business executives are now at the forefront of deepfake threats, with their digital lives acting as gateways to corporate vulnerabilities. This escalating risk, driven by the accessibility of AI technology and a widespread lack of personal security training, necessitates a holistic and proactive cybersecurity approach.
As we navigate this evolving threat landscape, organizations must ensure comprehensive digital protection extends beyond corporate boundaries, safeguarding leaders and their families in every aspect of their connected lives. The urgency for action is clear: executives must be equipped to face escalating cyber and physical threats head-on.
