Today, there are many clever technology tools in defense and security, but in all too many cases, there is a problem: they cannot distinguish a malicious attacker from a grieving, authorized executor after someone has died. This article examines the issue.

As this news service has reported before, the rise of digital assets such as cryptocurrencies (bitcoin, etc) and tokens raises the question of how to keep them secure. And that security is not just about the immediate client, but about what happens if they wish to grant these entities to their offspring, various causes, friends, etc? The wealth management sector is well versed in the business of estate planning and protecting the wealth and varied interests of clients. With digital assets, this is a natural area for this protection and consideration. (See a related article.)

Solomon Adote, chief information security officer at The Estate Registry, a US organization, explains what happens to digital assets after a person dies. The editors at this news service are pleased to share these ideas; the usual editorial disclaimers apply to the opinions of outside contributors. To comment, suggest ideas and ask questions, email tom.burroughes@wealthbriefing.com and amanda.cheesley@clearviewpublishing.com

To share or not to share, that is the question. For decades, our relentless focus has been on achieving digital lockdown. We’ve successfully mitigated nearly every external and internal point of failure in our systems, yet we continue to fail at planning for the most human vulnerability of all: the "ultimate insider exit." This technical success creates an immediate and devastating conflict. The very security mandate that demands unbreakable protection for our sensitive information while we are alive transforms into an insurmountable barrier for lawful heirs.

Our cutting-edge defense tools, from military-grade encryption to sophisticated biometrics, are designed to be flawless, but they possess a critical blind spot: they cannot distinguish a malicious hacker from a grieving, authorized executor. When the keyholder has gone, our greatest protective strengths are instantly converted into a source of family chaos and potential business loss.

The risk of no access: When no one has the keys
When a key person is incapacitated or gone, everything on the backend turns into locked rooms. Contracts miss milestones, invoices stall, and client promises slip. More notably, probate timelines lengthen while courts, counsel, and vendors hunt for fragments of access. While families and authorities scramble in that vacuum, attackers take advantage of dormant accounts, reroute payments, and exploit unattended recovery flows. Essentially, if no one has the keys, the enterprise loses control, and the estate loses time.

As a security leader, I always advise our clients to consider digital accounts with the same seriousness as titles, deeds, and corporate authority. Today, a typical person maintains a growing list of logins across various systems, including email, banking, social media, subscription services, and business applications. That digital footprint grows with every new service and every added factor. 

Without clear, lawful instructions, the people who most need access are forced into slow and inconsistent processes at the worst possible moment. Documented intent reduces disputes, shortens timelines, and limits the openings adversaries exploit when grief meets confusion.

Don't lock your loved ones out
I always encourage everyone to implement strong multi-factor authentication and maintain rigorous logging. Privacy in life cannot produce chaos in death or incapacity. The balance is governance. Name your proxy, what they can access, the unlocked path, and the audit trail. That approach protects sensitive data while preventing a crisis when colleagues, counsel, or family must act on your behalf.

Most people have no idea what their digital footprint is truly worth. This isn't only about social media posts. What's often left out in consideration are the hard assets. Real-world value is locked in domain registrars, crypto wallets, and cloud storage, all secured by secrets that can vanish in an instant, which can erase wealth or any piece of evidence.

At the same time, the legal standards for access are tightening. A fiduciary's ability to act now hinges on explicit, lawful consent given in advance, whether through an online tool or a formal estate plan. Without it, they hit a digital wall. They get partial records at best, turning asset recovery into a dead end. Your privacy is non-negotiable while you are here, but without a plan, that privacy creates a permanent void when you are not.

The master key to your digital legacy
Your digital life is a collection of locked rooms. When you’re gone, who has the keys? Without a plan, the answer is no one. Even if they have the keys, do they know the rooms the keys belong to? 

The bridge between perfect security and seamless continuity already exists, and it’s built on enterprise-grade credential “vaults.” Think policy-based succession, where individuals predefine beneficiaries, determine exactly which credentials to transfer, and set triggers such as verified death or documented incapacity. 

Releases occur only after multi-step verification, which includes identity checks, legal documentation, and time-delay safeguards, so nothing decrypts prematurely. Private details remain encrypted end-to-end, with split-key controls and hardware-backed protection. These systems keep track of accounts, save recovery information like passkeys and Time-based One-Time Password (TOTP) seeds, and follow current rules for access to ensure that consent is clear and can be defended. All these steps align with fiduciary-access standards and reduce disputes, delays, and losses.

A thoughtful digital estate plan protects your privacy today and ensures security tomorrow. It turns uncertainty into continuity and gives your loved ones or colleagues the access they need when it matters most. Without it, your strongest safeguards become barriers that create loss. With it, your digital life remains protected, accessible, and carried forward exactly as you intended.