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Executives’ families can be drawn into impersonation attempts through texts, calls, and other messages—not because every household is targeted, but because attackers may use personal relationships to build trust. In a 2025 alert, the FBI described campaigns impersonating senior U.S. officials and contacting their family members and personal acquaintances, including with AI-generated voice messages. A practical response is to teach the whole household a few habits: pause, verify through a known channel, protect account codes, and keep work data on work-approved devices.
Why do executives’ families need cybersecurity training too?
Family members may receive a message that appears to come from an executive or another relative, or be asked to provide money, account access, a one-time code, or sensitive information. The FBI’s 2025 alert describes impersonation campaigns targeting senior U.S. officials’ family members and personal acquaintances, using text and AI-generated voice messages among other tactics. The alert establishes that these approaches have been used; it does not quantify how often executive families are targeted or show that every family faces the same risk. Read the FBI alert.
The aim of household training is not to make relatives security specialists. It is to make it easier for them to spot an unusual request, avoid acting under pressure, and contact the right person safely. That helps protect personal accounts and reduces the chance that a household interaction becomes a route toward an executive’s work or identity.
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Teach one routine for unexpected messages
Pause and verify through a known channel
A familiar name, voice, phone number, or caller ID is not enough to prove who sent a message. If a request is unusual or urgent, family members should contact the supposed sender using a phone number or other channel they had already confirmed—not a new number or link supplied in the message. The FBI advises independently confirming new contact information through a trusted source and recommends that families agree on a secret word or phrase for identity checks. Keep that phrase private and do not send it in response to an unsolicited message.
Do not let urgency replace judgment
Unexpected requests for money, account access, codes, or private information deserve a pause, even if the sender says there is an emergency. Confirm requests involving money or assets directly with the person through a previously verified channel. Do not disclose passwords or two-factor authentication codes in email, texts, or messaging apps, and do not approve a login prompt you did not initiate. The FBI warns that social engineering can be used to obtain verification codes. FBI Cybersecurity Best Practices.
Check links and attachments independently
Do not open an unexpected link or attachment before checking the sender and context. If a message seems to come from a bank, service, or colleague, navigate to the service using a known address or app, or confirm with the person through another channel. Do not enter credentials, financial details, or personal information in response to an email request. For a suspicious message tied to the executive’s business identity, household members should know the organization’s real reporting route; the employer must provide that contact information.
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Secure important personal accounts
Turn on multifactor authentication (MFA) for important accounts wherever it is supported, especially email and messaging accounts that can be used to reset other passwords. Use strong device passcodes, and treat one-time codes and unexpected login approvals as private. The FBI notes that “Messaging apps are common targets for account takeover and social engineering.” Its best-practice guidance recommends two-step verification for messaging apps and cautions against sharing verification codes.
Consider a security key only when an account supports it
A FIDO security key is one possible physical MFA factor, not a universal fix. The FBI recommends using an authenticator app or security key for two-factor authentication when possible. CISA describes hardware FIDO tokens as offering the greatest resistance to exploitation among the MFA options it discusses, while app-based soft tokens are also a good option. Check that a particular account and device support the key, and understand how account recovery works before relying on it. A key does not prevent every form of impersonation or protect accounts that do not support it. CISA’s four cybersecurity goals.
Protect household devices and home Wi-Fi
- Lock devices: Use a strong passcode or biometric lock on phones, tablets, and computers.
- Update software: Install operating-system and app updates promptly; enable automatic updates where available.
- Review app permissions: Check which apps can access contacts, location, camera, microphone, and other personal data, and remove access that is not needed.
- Secure the router: Change its default administrator password, choose a network name that does not reveal personal details, and use the strongest encryption setting available on the router.
- Check connected devices: Review what is connected to the home network and remove devices the household no longer uses.
- Back up and encrypt important data: Keep secure backups so important files can be recovered, and use device or file encryption where available to protect stored data.
The FBI’s best-practice guidance covers device locks, updates, permissions, Wi-Fi, backups, and encryption. CISA explains that information on a compromised device may be read, altered, stolen, or made inaccessible if it is not protected, and recommends secure backups. CISA: How to Protect the Data that is Stored on Your Devices.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Keep household use separate from corporate data
Work devices and personal devices should not be treated as interchangeable. CISA’s “Safeguarding Your Data,” revised September 27, 2019, says: “Even if it is not explicitly stated in your corporate policy, you should avoid allowing other people, including family members, to use a computer that contains corporate data.” CISA notes that separate user accounts can add some protection, but do not fully isolate data; a separate computer provides a different form of separation. This is general guidance, not a substitute for the executive’s current employer policy. CISA: Safeguarding Your Data.
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Executives should follow employer rules for managed devices, data handling, and support. If family members might receive suspicious communications connected to an executive’s work identity, provide them the organization’s actual reporting instructions without sharing sensitive work information. CISA-led ransomware guidance recommends training people to identify and report suspicious activity, including phishing and advanced social engineering; the employer’s policy determines who can report, what information to provide, and through which channel. #StopRansomware Guide.
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