This is not a blog about statistics or trend analysis. It is about awareness. The number of cyber executives targeted through physical coercion is still small, but the impact of getting it wrong is extreme. The question is not whether this will happen at scale. The question is whether you are prepared if it happens to you.
For most cyber executives, risk has traditionally been understood in technical terms. Systems, networks, vulnerabilities, threat actors. Even when incidents escalate, the assumption is that the threat remains confined to data, infrastructure, and access.
That assumption still holds in most cases. Cyber-attacks, ransomware, and data theft continue to rise globally, and they remain the most common threats cyber leaders deal with day to day.
But alongside this, a smaller and more uncomfortable risk has begun to surface more frequently. In a growing number of reported cases around the world, individuals connected to cyber roles, digital assets, and cryptocurrency have been targeted directly through intimidation, violent robbery, and kidnapping for ransom. These incidents do not replace cyber-attacks. They sit alongside them, used selectively when criminals believe physical pressure will produce faster results.
Over the past several years, open reporting has documented kidnappings and attempted kidnappings involving founders, executives, and family members linked to cryptocurrency firms and digital asset platforms. France, in particular, has seen a cluster of such incidents, including violent abduction attempts carried out in public spaces and residential areas. In some cases, attackers have targeted spouses or children to increase leverage. In others, victims have been taken and held while ransoms were demanded in cryptocurrency.
These events are still relatively rare, but they are no longer isolated. They share common characteristics that cyber executives should pay attention to.
Visibility is one of them. Many cyber and crypto leaders underestimate how much information about their lives is publicly available. Conference appearances, media interviews, professional profiles, social media posts, and even casual travel updates can be combined to build a clear picture of routines, movements, and family connections.
Perceived access is another. Attackers do not need a precise understanding of an executive’s technical authority. They only need to believe that the individual represents leverage, whether through assumed control over systems, influence over decision making, or personal wealth tied to digital assets.
The third factor is preparedness. Cyber executives are trained extensively for technical incidents. Very few are trained for coercion, surveillance, or personal threat scenarios.
Reducing exposure does not mean withdrawing from professional life or operating in fear. It means being deliberate.
At a personal level, cyber executives should understand their own exposure. That starts with reviewing what information is publicly available, tightening social media hygiene, and being more cautious about sharing travel plans or routines. Small changes can significantly reduce predictability.
Travel is a consistent risk factor in many reported incidents. Kidnappings and violent robberies often occur during predictable movements such as commuting, arrivals, departures, or conference travel. Simple planning, local awareness, and support arrangements can materially lower vulnerability.
Training also matters. Scenario-based preparation that focuses on intimidation, coercion, and personal threat helps executives recognize warning signs early and respond appropriately. This is not about turning cyber leaders into security professionals. It is about giving them confidence and clarity if something feels wrong.
Families should not be overlooked. In several documented cases, pressure was applied through spouses or dependents. Ensuring that families understand basic security awareness and know how to raise concerns early is a practical and often neglected step.
Organizations also have a role to play here, not by shifting responsibility onto individuals, but by supporting executive preparedness. This includes access to awareness training and having plans in place before anything happens.
Cyber risk may still begin in systems, but in some cases, it now extends into people’s lives. Cyber executives who understand that reality and take measured steps to reduce their exposure are far better positioned to protect themselves and those around them.
At Unity Advisory, we work with cyber leaders facing exactly this challenge. Through planning, training, and advisory support, we help executives understand their personal risk landscape and take practical steps to reduce it before pressure appears.
If you want to explore how this applies to your role, visit our Products and Services page to learn how we support executive preparedness and crisis resilience.
