WHAT’S NEW

Proton Drive
Free to use, ultra-secure cloud storage for sensitive information, files, and photos.

Guardio App
iOS and Android phone app that flags scam websites and provides other protections.

Washington Post: How to Lock Down Your Phone if You Are Traveling to the US

Nieman Lab: Are you being tailed? Tips for reporters concerned about physical surveillance

Preparing for Electronic Device Searches at US Borders

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Freedom of the Press Foundation: 2025 Digital Security Checklist for Journalists

Freedom of the Press Foundation: Digital Security Education
Guides, resources, training, etc. 

NewsGuild of New York: Digital Security Resources
Dozens of useful links

Apple FileVault
If you work with sensitive information on a Mac, you can encrypt it using FileVault to protect against unauthorized access. FileVault encrypts the data on both the system and data volumes and grants access to them after the user enters a valid login password or uses Touch ID.

Microsoft BitLocker
A Windows security feature that provides encryption for entire volumes, addressing the threats of data theft or exposure from lost, stolen, or inappropriately decommissioned devices.

Expand URL
Expand a shortened link into its origin link to see if it could be a dangerous site full of malware. 

How to Properly Wipe Your Digital Footprint
This Twitter feed offers some great tips and advice.

DangerZone
Convert potentially dangerous PDFs into safe copies

Wired: Guide to Protect Yourself From Government Surveillance

Amnesty International: Mobile Verification Toolkit

Tella-app
Phone app. In challenging environments, with limited or no internet connectivity or in the face of repression, Tella makes it easier and safer to document human rights violations and collect data.

Tresorit
Securely store, share, scan, and sign sensitive files in one place.  Manage projects in secure data rooms. Stay productive using our integrations – Google, Outlook and more. 14-day free trial with reasonable upgrades.

Guardio
A cleaner, safer web with this digital security tool. One features tests website URLs to see if the site is legit or a scam/hoax site.

Google Phishing Attack Quiz
Quiz teaches you to identify phishing attempts through email, text, etc.

OSINT Industries
Gives free credits for journalists. Use the tool to investigate phone numbers and email addresses.

They See Your Photos
Find out how much Google’s AI can know from your photos

SurfShark
Secure your internet connection with a VPN, armor your devices with real-time Antivirus, monitor your data’s security with and more.

CryptPad
A collaborative office suite that is end-to-end encrypted and open-source.

Who Am I?
Chrome extension that lets you search a name across multiple social and other platforms.

Have I Been Pwned?
Check to see if your email has been part of a data breach.

Cybersecurity Toolkit for Journalists
From the Global Cyber Alliance, this is a great set of tools for small newsrooms.

GCA Cybersecurity Toolkit for Journalists
A resource for independent journalists, watchdogs, and small newsrooms.https://journaliststoolbox.ai/image-and-video-creation

Google’s Jigsaw
Proxy server and other tools for journalists to stay safe online. Great suite of free tools.

Proton Drive
Free to use, ultra-secure cloud storage for sensitive information, files, and photos.

Global Investigative Journalism Network: Digital Security Tools

International Center for Journalists: Digital Security Resources

USA Today: Blur Your Home on Maps and Erase Your Data to Remove Your Life from Google’s Grip

CPJ: Safely Covering the 2020 U.S. Elections
Legal resources, digital safety and more.

IJNET: Digital Security Do’s and Don’ts

ICFJ: How to Convince Journalists That Digital Security is for Them

Surfshark
VPN that hides your IP, blocks trackers, etc.

Brave
Secure web browser that blocks ads and trackers

Secure Drop
An open source whistleblower submission system that media organizations and NGOs can install to securely accept documents from anonymous sources. SecureDrop is available in 22 languages.

Danger Zone
Take potentially dangerous PDFs, office documents, or images and convert them to safe PDFs.

Freedom of the Press Foundation: Online Account Security
Collection of articles on how to protect accounts from hacks and phishing attempts.

Security.org: How Secure is My Password?
Test about the strength of one’s password.

Committee to Protect Journalists: Using Online Platforms Safely as a Journalist
Tips on safely using social media for journalists.

Guardio App
iOS and Android phone app that flags scam websites and provides other protections.

Freedom of the Press Foundation: Preparing Devices for Travel Across a US Border
Has a great checklist midway through the article

Reporters Without Borders: Why Journalists Should Use Apps With End-to-End Encryption
Guide to end-to-end encryption and how it protects messaging data.

Reporters Without Borders: What Are Phishing Scams?

Reporters Without Borders: Why Journalists Should Use Applications With End-to-End Encryption

Reporters Without Borders: Tor, the Key to Anonymously Browsing the Web

Preparing for Electronic Device Searches at US Borders

EFF: Protecting Data on Your Devices

ACLU: Can Border Agents Search Your Electronic Devices?

The Verge: Is It Safe to Travel With Your Phone Right Now?

Wired: How to Enter the US with Your Digital Privacy Intact

Electronic Frontier Foundation: Border Search Pocket Guide

Electronic Frontier Foundaton: Digital Security at the US Border

Reporters Without Borders: Encryption at Rest: The Key to Data Privacy

Committee to Protect Journalists: Physical and Digital Safety – Arrest and Detention

Reporters Without Borders: How to Protect Yourself From Doxxing

Reporters Without Borders: Tools for Staying Anonymous Online

PEN America: Journalist’s Guide for Protecting Your Digital Footprint

Amnesty International Security Lab

Online Violence Response Hub
Resources and tips for dealing with digital threats

European Journalism Observatory: Working With Whistleblowers In The Digital Age: New Guidelines
Great tips for investigative journalists on protecting sources.

Last Pass
Password storage and generator tool.

VirusTotal
A free online virus checker to keep you safe

Dashlane
A safe, simple way to store and fill passwords and personal information.

Incogni
Prevents spammers, stalkers, and fraudsters from accessing your information by removing it from the web.

API: The Inclusive Guide to Online Safety

GIJN Toolbox: Search for Hidden Connections Between Websites
Tools like VirusTotal, SpyOnWeb, etc.

Surveillance Self-Defense
The Electronic Frontier Foundation’s Surveillance Self-Defense guide includes guides to digital security for journalists, including how to use encryption and secure messaging.

1Password
Save your passwords and log in to sites with a single click. It’s that simple.

Watch Your Hack
A manual that explains how to protect yourself from hackers, in layman’s terms.

SecurityPlanner.org
Google offers several free security tools for journalists and others.

USA Today: How to Secure Your WiFi Router

Doxxing Yourself on the Internet
Great tips from a NICAR 19 panel.

TrollBusters: Global Safety Resource Hub
A map of security tools from around the world.

GIJN: How to Protect Yourself from Metadata

Verycrypt
A free open source disk encryption software for Windows, Mac OSX and Linux.

Orbot
Tor browser

Onion Browser
Tor browser for anonymous, censorship-resistant browsing.

Craig Silverman’s Verification and Digital Investigations Resources
Essential plugins and tools for general OSINT/online research work.

GIJN: Safety and Security Videos

ZDNet: How to Delete Yourself from Internet Search Results and Hide Your Identity Online

Troll-Busters
Resources galore for dealing with online harassment. Built by journalists for journalists.

No One Uses Email Anymore
A great slideshow of tips from an IRE 19 panel on how government officials are using private chat apps to communicate rather than email. Makes it harder to FOIA and track those discussions.

EFF: Threat modeling activity handout — Electric Frontier Foundation
Printable threat modeling activity sheet in both English and Spanish.|

Reporters Without Borders: Nine Ways Journalists Can Protect Their Password Security
Tips on strengthening password security from a digital security expert.

Reporters Without Borders Training Video: Password Security
Explanatory video on how journalists can improve their password protection.

GIJN: How Journalists Are Coping with a Heightened Surveillance Threat

VirusTotal: Analyze Suspicious Links and Files
Analyzes suspicious files and URLs for malware and automatically shares them with the security community.

Popular Science: How to Use Your Smartphone Without Leaving a Trace

OnionShare
Open source tool for secure and anonymous file sharing.

SecureMessagingApps.com
Long list of apps for secure conversations

How Not to Fall for Tricky URLS
Data Detox site offers tips and tricks in this interactive exercise. Very good digital security information.

Authy
Generate two-factor authentication codes

Washington Post: How to Lock Down Your Phone if You Are Traveling to the US

Nieman Lab: Are you being tailed? Tips for reporters concerned about physical surveillance

AnonDaddy
Anonymous email forwarding

ProtonMail
Encrypted email for sensitive communications.

KeePass
Generate and safely store unique passwords.

Bitwarden Password Manager

Disconnect.me
Protect your browser from trackers and search privately.

Spideroak
Group chat and file-sharing like Slack but more secure.

Forensic OSINT
Does a multi-screen screenshot of a web page or document.

OSINT Tracker
Track and map connections between people, companies, websites, etc.

Epios
Search for emails and phone numbers

Impersonal.me
Create Google searches as if you were searching from different countries and in different languages.

DeepFind.Me
Collection of OSINT tools and resources

GIJN Organized Crime Book: Cybercrime

Digital Attack Map
A live data visualization that surfaces anonymous attack traffic data so you can explore historic trends and find reports of outages happening on any given day.

OnionShare
A secure, encrypted platform for sending files through Tor, the anonymous web browser.

Trollbusters: Generation Zeitgeist Resources
Cool, visual infographic guides to help you understand everything from how the internet works to how to keep your data safe.

Klaxon
A tool that alerts journalists when online content changes.

Threema
Secure messaging app

Session
End-to-end encrypted messaging

Wire
Secure messaging app. End-to-end encrypted messaging

Signal
End-to-end encrypted messaging

WhatsApp
Encrypted messaging

Outline
Virtual private network (VPN)

WireGuard
Virtual private network (VPN) to secure connections, especially when accessing blocked or monitored sites.

VeraCrypt
Device encryption software

Tresorit
Secure cloud storage tool.

HideMyAss.com
Use this proxy to surf anonymously online, hide your IP address, secure your internet connection, hide your internet history, and protect your online identity. Price packages as low as $5 a month.

The Coalition for Women in Journalism
CFWIJ is a New York based, global support organization for women journalists, and documents press freedom for women in 92 countries. Resources include a list of women journalists covering different beats and a COVID-19 map. The Trial calendar that shows when women journalists are facing legal trials after state harassment. Misinformation campaigns and trolls against women journalists is also one of the critical areas CFWIJ covers and offers support in.

Combating digital threats to safeguard press freedom by Eliška Pírková, Rand Hammoud, Aymen Zaghdoudi, Namrata Maheshwari from Access Now

Surveillance Self-Defense (SSD)” EFF’s guide

Freedom of the Press Foundation: How Safe Are Your Favorite Transcription Tools?

GIJN: What to Do If Authorities Invade Your Home

Reporters Without Borders: Catalog of Resources to Self-Train on Digital Security

Why Source Protection Begins With Your Smartphone Contacts, GIJN article by David Huerta.

Rory Peck Trust: Digital Security Guide for Freelance Journalists
Security Guide for freelance journalists will help you make informed decisions about digital security and protect yourself against attacks. Covers web surfing, passwords and more.

GIJN: Journalist Security Assessment Tool
How secure are you? Walk through this process and find out.

Smartphone Security for the Mobile Journalist
An excellent journal article (free) from Frank Lomonte and Philip J. Sliger.

Global Cyber Alliance: Cybersecurity Toolkit

Security-in-a-Box: Digital Security Tools and Tactics

The Intercept: Surveillance Self-Defense Checklist

DIY Guide to Feminist Cybersecurity
Hack Blossom offers great tips and resources.

VirusTotal
Run any suspicious files through this free, encrypted tool to detect any viruses.

CPJ: Digital Safety – Protecting Against Online Attacks

Blacklight from The Markup
A real-time web privacy inspector. Who is peeking over your shoulder while you work, watch videos, learn, explore, and shop on the internet? Enter the address of any website, and Blacklight will scan it and reveal the specific user-tracking technologies on the site—and who’s getting your data. You may be surprised at what you learn.

Element, a Decentralised Alternative to Messaging Apps
Suggests using Element, a unique, open-source and secure messaging app.

Tech Expert: Journalists Must be Aware of the Dangers of Metadata
Explanation of the threat posed by metadata and how journalists can protect themselves.

Knight Center for the Americas: How Journalists Can Develop Secure Communication in the Age of the Internet
Interviews with experts on how to safely share information in the digital age.

Encryption Technical Paper from WhatsApp

Technical Papers from the Encryption System Used by Signal

HTTPS Everywhere
Browser extension for secure browsing

uBlock
Browser extension for secure browsing

GrapheneOS
Private secure OS for mobile devices 

Tauria
End-to-end encrypted business communication. Tauria includes truly secure video conferencing, webinars, messaging, file sharing and calendar to protect journalists’ sensitive information.

Bellingcat’s Open Source Digital Forensics Tools

Better Living Through Online Security and Encryption

Tips to Protect Yourself Against Cyberattacks
Some good tips from Derek Eder, a civic hacker in Chicago. Scroll down the page for the list.

Vox: How to Make Sure Google Deletes Your Data on a Regular Basis

Have I Been Pwned?
Check to see if your email password has been part of a data breach

EFF: Surveillance Self Defense Kit

Salama.io
Digital security risk assessment for journalists and bloggers.

MetaCleaner
Metacleaner removes the metadata from files. Storing files in the cloud or sharing files on the Internet is very useful but can be dangerous at the same time. When we upload a certain file, it usually has several details about our identity that, in one way or another, compromises our privacy and offers all users who get access to them personal information about us that we may not want them to have.

Politico: Security and Privacy Issues with Your Favorite Transcription Tools
For sensitive interviews, it might be best to transcribe the old-fashioned way.

International Women’s Media Foundation: Guide to Protecting Newsrooms and Journalists Against OnlineViolence
A resource for newsrooms to better protect staff targeted simply for doing their jobs.

Committee to Protect Journalists Security Guide

Securethe.news
Leaderboard of what news websites offer the best security.

OTR (Off the record)
End-to-end encryption tool.

Mattermost
Self-hosted, end-to-end encryption tool.

Security Tools for Investigative Journalists
Powerpoint full of resources.

TrollBusters: Removing Your Mailing Address from Data Broker Sites

Meta/Facebook: Safety Tips for Journalists Using Facebook

Reuters Institute: Protecting Journalists From Online Abuse: A Guide for Newsrooms

Electronic Frontier Foundation Surveillance Self-Defense

Freedom of the Press Foundation Encryption Guide

The Guardian Project
Tools to create easy-to-use open source apps, mobile OS security enhancements, and customized mobile devices for people around the world to help them communicate more freely, and protect themselves from intrusion and monitoring.

Cybercrime Information Center
A repository for studies, measurements, data sets, statistics, and analyses of global security threats involving the Internet’s Domain Name System (DNS), IP addresses, and hosting and cloud networks. The Center identifies DNS and hosting systems abuse and the contexts in which they occur—particularly those in which criminal abuse is highly concentrated.

Onion Share
Open source tool that lets you securely and anonymously share a file of any size.

25 Guidelines for Journalists to Safely Cover Unrest

Nieman Reports: J-schools Must Better Prepare Students for Handling Harassment

James W. Foley Legacy Foundation Journalism Safety Modules 

Dart Center for Journalism: Network of Therapists for Journalists 

PEN America: Student Online Harassment Guide

GIJN: Tips on Uncovering the Spy Tech Your Government Buys
A guide on how reporters can unearth spyware surveillance technology acquired by their govts, based on interviews with expert sources —from investigative reporters to cybersecurity experts, etc.

PC World: Tips to Cover Digital Footprints and Regain Your Privacy

VIDIZMO
If journalists have exclusive stories or video recordings, then they need to securely store them. They can store videos in this secure video platform. It is great for securely sharing video, audio and image files on an end-to-end encrypted platform.

The Taliban Detained Me for Doing My Job. I Can Never Go Back.
Foreign Policy columnist Lynne O’Donnell on a harrowing return to Kabul, almost one year after the United States left Afghanistan.

Source: Digital Security for Journalists, Part I

Source: Digital Security for Journalists, Part II

International Center for Journalists: Reporting Tools
Guides to mobile security, research and more.

TRFilter
This tool from Thomson Reuters allows users to document and manage online harassment and abuse, so they can take control of their social media feeds and focus on their professional activities.