Personal Safety and Security for High-Risk Individuals

A high-risk individual is someone whose work, profile, or access to sensitive information makes them a potential target for threats from hostile actors, including state-backed organisations or terrorist groups.

You may be a high-risk individual if one or more of the following apply to you:

• Your work or public stance on a contentious issue is visible to others
• State-backed organisations may try to influence you or show hostility towards you or your organisation
• Hostile actors are seeking to stop you from continuing your lawful activities
• You or your organisation have already received a credible threat or been subject to an attack
• You have access to information that is highly attractive to threat actors
• There is intelligence of a threat to you, your associates, or people in a similar role

Everyone faces some level of risk to their personal safety, but high-risk individuals require more structured protection.

Understanding Your Level of Risk

Certain factors can increase your vulnerability to threats:

• You need to be publicly accessible in your role
• You have not fully considered your personal safety and security arrangements
• Your home or work address is widely known or easily discoverable online
• Your daily movements are predictable (for example, always catching the same train or visiting the same gym at the same time)
• Your home or workplace has limited or no protective security measures
• Changes in geopolitics or the news are directly relevant to your work

When Are You Most Vulnerable?