Tech Titans FORTIFY Their Security!

Large technology companies are dramatically raising their personal security budgets as executives face heightened political visibility and growing hostility toward corporate leadership.

At a Glance

• Security spending for ten major tech CEOs topped $45mn in 2024
• Alphabet, Amazon, Meta, Nvidia, and Palantir all raised budgets by over 10% year on year
• Meta alone spent $27mn on Mark Zuckerberg and his family’s protection in 2024
• Attacks on executives’ homes and offices have surged, experts warn
• Demand for private risk assessments has increased fivefold in early 2025

Rising Threat Environment

Security concerns around high-profile executives have intensified following violent incidents across the United States. In late 2024, United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson was fatally shot in Manhattan, sparking alarm among business leaders. The assailant in that case, Luigi Mangione, drew unexpected online support, underscoring a worrying shift in public sentiment toward corporate figures.

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In July 2025, four individuals were killed in a New York office building when an attacker targeted the National Football League over a personal grievance. Such incidents have led to reassessments of corporate protection strategies, with executive security firms reporting record demand.

James Hamilton, a former FBI agent and founder of Hamilton Security, noted that threats are at unprecedented levels, with CEOs often becoming symbolic targets for public frustration. Joe LaSorsa, who runs a separate protection firm, confirmed a “remarkable increase” in attacks on executives’ residences and a sharp rise in requests for security assessments.

Big Tech’s Escalating Budgets

The Financial Times review of corporate disclosures shows that security allocations for major technology leaders exceeded $45mn in 2024. Meta accounted for the largest single share, spending $27mn to protect Mark Zuckerberg and his family, a figure that dwarfs spending by other firms. The group’s commitments extend beyond Zuckerberg personally, covering family members at their homes and while travelling.

Alphabet, Amazon, Nvidia, and Palantir also increased their security allocations by more than 10% year on year. Analysts note that these increases parallel both rising profits and rising scrutiny of tech companies’ influence on political and social issues.

Equilar, a governance research firm, found a 73.5% increase in the number of tech companies providing executive security between 2020 and 2024, the largest jump of any sector. The data highlights a widening gap between technology leaders and other corporate executives when it comes to personal protection resources.

Public Role, Public Risks

The political role of technology firms since the 2024 presidential election has further elevated the profile of their leaders, leaving them exposed to backlash over layoffs, profit margins, and controversies around data privacy. Executives have increasingly become focal points for grievances once directed at institutions.

While corporate filings disclose some security budgets, many high-profile leaders supplement these with privately funded measures. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, for example, commit significant personal resources to their own protection, beyond what is listed in company records.

Security experts caution that the combination of celebrity status, concentrated corporate power, and political engagement makes technology executives unusually vulnerable. With public hostility mounting, analysts expect further escalation in both security measures and associated costs through 2025 and beyond.

Sources

Financial Times

Reuters

Bloomberg

Equilar