PBI-Spanish State co-organizes workshop on digital security for activists, Feb. 22

On February 22, Peace Brigades International-Spanish State is co-organizing a “theoretical and practical workshop on digital privacy and security for activists” in Valencia with the solidarity non-governmental organization Perifèries (Peripherals) and Komun, an autonomous cooperative of experts in different technical fields.

The Toronto-based Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE) has previously offered a course on digital self-defence covering a variety of topics including: “threat modeling, secure web browsing, encryption, online anonymity, phishing, desktop and mobile security, and device searches and the law.”

Phishing refers to the attempt to obtain usernames, passwords and other sensitive information through a fraudulent electronic communication. Open-source intelligence (OSINT) refers to data collected from publicly available sources to be used in an intelligence context.

For example, the Canadian Press recently reported on an RCMP report on Toronto-based Mining Injustice Solidarity Network (MISN) activist Rachel Small.

That news report noted, “An analyst with the RCMP’s Tactical Internet Intelligence Unit combed through online sources about Rachel Small to assemble the report detailing her age, address, education, language fluency, work experience and Facebook friends in the activist community, newly released documents show.”

“The Oct. 1, 2015, report, which includes photos and other material culled from Small’s social-media accounts, was prepared by the internet intelligence unit under the auspices of the criminal intelligence program of the RCMP’s Ontario division.”

PBI-Netherlands has also supported digital security training through the Shelter City Network in partnership with Justice and Peace Netherlands.

Justice and Peace has noted, “With a holistic security curriculum, Justice and Peace through the Shelter City initiative offers human rights defenders digital and physical security training, wellbeing and self-care training, empowerment training, including legal, investigative, organisational and advocacy tools, and long-term support for when they return home.”

It adds, “With experienced security trainers and the most up-to-date resources, we hope to support more resilient defenders and contribute to active civil societies worldwide. Aside from giving training, we’ve put together resources for human rights defenders covering topics including well-being and digital security and the latest developments in the world for human rights defenders.”

The Justice and Peace webpage on Digital Security is here. Front Line Defenders also provides various Digital Security Resources here.