Securing High-Profile Executives Before Tragedy Strikes
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Protecting executives is increasingly challenging as their professional lives extend far beyond the secure walls of the office and into events, personal travel, and public engagements. With information so easily accessible—whether through a click of a button or a seemingly innocent social media post from a colleague or relative—their locations and personal details can be exposed in an instant. Protection teams must move beyond outdated strategies and basic security measures that fail to account for an executive’s evolving risk profile.
The tragic death of United Healthcare’s CEO on December 4, 2024, has intensified concerns about the safety of high-profile executives. This incident has sparked important conversations that can help strengthen security measures moving forward. However, waiting for another tragedy shouldn’t motivate us to elevate security standards. Effective security is an ongoing necessity, and investment in it should be based on an organization’s risk profile, not a reaction to recent events.
Three Considerations Before Boosting Security Measures
Here are three important questions to address before taking action on your organization’s protection strategy:
1. Why do your executives need protection?
Executives are often seen as prime targets due to grievances with the organization. They represent the company and are responsible for major decisions that impact employees, customers, and their families. Threatening or attacking an executive is sometimes viewed as a way to address frustrations with the company.
Some executives may resist additional protection due to:
- Concerns about the cost of security without considering the potential cost of an attack
- Fear of attracting unwanted attention
- Uncertainty about whether their position truly warrants protection
Executive protection goes beyond bodyguards or bulletproof vests; it’s a comprehensive approach that blends protective intelligence, risk-based executive protection strategy, a threat assessment and management program, and technology to keep leaders safe and secure, no matter where they are.
2. What level of resources need to be dedicated to executive protection?
Not every company needs an extensive executive protection team, despite common advice. Factors such as the executive’s unique risk profile, public exposure, travel, routine predictability, and visibility should all be taken into account.
Whether an executive is featured on the front page of the business section or leads a growing startup with sensitive customer data, it’s crucial to assess how vulnerable they are to being targeted. An easy target is one that is predictable, accessible, and has a routine that is easy to follow—where the potential attacker feels the executive is an easy target, and is confident they won’t be caught or stopped before executing their plan.
3. Are there threat assessment measures in place to proactively identify risks?
Structured threat assessment programs are critical for identifying behavioral or communication anomalies that could escalate into targeted violence. Tools like CTAP, a structured professional judgment tool, are invaluable for evaluating concerning online and offline communication. They help security teams make informed, objective decisions using a systematic, well-trained approach.
To spot behavioral anomalies or recurring patterns in threats, centralized databases are essential. Not surprisingly, documentation that is written in notebooks and shared verbally makes it hard to connect the dots and notice individuals on the Pathway to Violence. Systems are available to empower security teams to track and analyze all activity in one place, quickly identifying threats within a given radius and minimizing risks when executives are outside secure offices or familiar environments.
Identifying Behaviors that Precede an Attack
While the strategies above won’t eliminate all risk, they can significantly reduce it compared to a generic, one-size-fits-all approach that lacks regular assessment. In addition to understanding an executive’s risk profile and tracking threats over time, recognizing the behaviors of potential attackers is crucial.
All threat actors usually have a grievance, but the way they express it can distinguish a threat from an actual attack. This is often described in security terms as the difference between “howlers” and “hunters.”
- Howlers openly express threats, driven by anger and frustration, with the intent to intimidate.
- Hunters are silent, quietly following a Pathway to Violence, from grievance to research, to pre-attack preparation, and ultimately, to the attack itself. These individuals often plan and research for years, studying routines and behaviors.
Adversaries who act on their grievances tend to exhibit certain personality traits, often categorized as:
- Predatory behavior: These individuals lack empathy and are motivated by exploitation and personal gain. They leave jobs and plans unfinished, often appearing cold and calculating.
- Paranoid behavior: These individuals are consumed by mistrust and fear, frequently speaking of conspiracies or secret organizations. They may complain to the administration and threaten legal action, often expressing a belief in being wronged.
Final Thoughts
Executive safety requires proactive, tailored security measures that are assessed regularly to keep up with the changes in the threat landscape. While the tragic event involving United Healthcare’s CEO highlights the urgent need for organizations to rethink security strategies, investments and systematic changes shouldn’t be triggered by an emotional response.
By addressing critical questions—such as why executives need protection, the level of resources required, and the effectiveness of threat assessments—organizations can take decisive action to reduce risks. Additionally, understanding attacker behaviors and recognizing early warning signs are key to preventing violence and ensuring long-term security.
Michael Rozin, CTM™
Michael is a founding partner and the president of Rozin Security. For nearly 25 years, he has focused on protection against perpetrators of targeted violence. He utilizes his skills and extensive experience to create customized security risk assessment tools, training, protection, and intelligence offerings that work in today’s technology-driven world and are built for professionals like himself.
