Workshop: Cybersecurity for Journalists

This day long workshop will equip you with the digital tools and knowledge to protect yourself, your stories, and importantly your sources in a hostile digital environment. No prior experience is necessary.

Investigative journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed – and the risk of being electronically disrupted has never been greater. With the ever increasing accessibility of sophisticated surveillance tools, almost anyone from state-level security services, to corporations and criminals, could attempt to surveil or disrupt your work.

This workshop will teach you how to digitally protect yourself at a variety of risk levels, whether in the UK or abroad, using entirely free and open source software.

What will be covered:

• you will learn about state surveillance capabilities and the law and how to assess your digital risk and and choose cybersecurity tools.
• you will be guided through installations of a core digital toolbox, including anonymous browsing, encrypted calls and messaging, and PGP encrypted emails
• hands-on training in how your new software works and how and when to use it.
•  scenario planning and you will practise using your new security software.

Silkie Carlo is the co-author of ‘Information Security for Journalists’, published by the Centre for Investigative Journalism in 2014, and has trained journalists, lawyers and campaigners internationally. She is Director of the civil liberties and privacy NGO, Big Brother Watch. Previously, she was the Senior Advocacy Officer at Liberty where she led a programme on Technology and Human Rights and launched a legal challenge to the Investigatory Powers Act. Prior to this, she worked for Edward Snowden’s official defence fund and whistleblowers at risk.