As Family Offices continue to digitise operations, they are facing a new category of risk that traditional structures are ill-equipped to handle. Both our April 2025 Market Outlook and discussions at the Global Family Office Conference 2025, placed cybersecurity firmly on the agenda, as an urgent priority.

The reason is clear: Family Offices are increasingly in the crosshairs of cybercriminals. With substantial assets, lean internal teams, and a culture of privacy, they represent an appealing and often under-defended target. The era when cybersecurity was a "nice-to-have" has passed. Today, it is a non-negotiable pillar of wealth preservation.

Why Family Offices Are Uniquely Vulnerable

By design, Family Offices are built on trust, discretion and agility. These qualities, while essential, also make them vulnerable. Many operate with lean teams, custom structures, and without the institutional security frameworks that corporate or financial entities employ.

As operations include digital banking, remote access, potentially virtual meetings and digital assets, the attack surface has expanded significantly. Smart home devices, email exchanges, and even video calls for family governance meetings can become entry points for increasingly sophisticated attacks.

In the recent pulse survey we conducted in collaboration with KPMG Private Enterprise, over 80% of Family Office respondents reported cybersecurity as one of their biggest concerns in 2025. A 2024 report by Deloitte, also found that 43% of Family Offices have already experienced a cyberattack, with 25% experiencing three or more attacks, and many more likely go unreported. Criminals target ultra-high-net-worth individuals (UHNWIs) and their entities for a simple reason: they are perceived as both lucrative and underprepared.

The Evolving Threat Landscape

Cyberattacks are no longer confined to phishing emails or generic malware. Deepfakes,  AI-generated scams, and advanced social engineering techniques have become standard tools. One of the most financially damaging forms of attack today is Business email compromise (BEC), where a criminal impersonates a trusted executive or family member.

Even the day-to-day habits of family members can compromise cybersecurity. Social media use, cloud-based file sharing, wearable tech, and unsecured devices introduce hidden vulnerabilities that may go unnoticed until too late.

In this environment, reactive IT support is no longer sufficient. A proactive, strategic cybersecurity posture is essential and this begins with hiring the right talent.

What Makes a Strong Cybersecurity Hire

Cybersecurity professionals in Family Offices must operate with both technical capability and discretion. The right hire will blend enterprise-grade knowledge with sensitivity to the unique context of private wealth.

Key attributes include:

  • Experience in private client services or ultra-high-net-worth (UHNW) environments.
  • Familiarity with both enterprise-grade systems and boutique infrastructures.
  • Skills in core areas such as threat intelligence, incident response, security training, and third-party risk management.
  • Soft skills such as discretion, adaptability, and ability to remain calm under pressure.

Family Offices must also consider whether to build an in-house cybersecurity team or partner with external specialists. In-house professionals offer continuity, tailored knowledge, and cultural fit, while external providers bring depth of expertise and scalability. Often, a hybrid model, where a lean internal team works with vetted third-party experts, offers the best of both worlds.

Cybersecurity Is Now a Core Pillar of Legacy Planning

For Family Offices committed to long-term wealth preservation, reputation management, and legacy planning, protecting digital infrastructure is just as important as protecting physical assets. The risks are real, growing, and increasingly sophisticated, but with the right talent in place, they are also manageable.