Digital Security: Essentials to Protect our Activism

Overview
Curriculum
Students List
Instructor

Introduction

Human rights defenders in the MENA region face a growing number of digital threats, including online surveillance, hacking, and disinformation campaigns. These threats can lead to self-censorship, stifling freedom of expression, and hindering the open discourse crucial for a just and equitable society. The lack of digital security knowledge and practices leaves human rights defenders vulnerable to attacks that can stifle their work and endanger their safety and the safety of the people they are working to defend.

Understanding digital security is important, particularly for human rights defenders and activists who often face unique threats online. The Digital Security Training course aims to equip you with the knowledge and tools to better protect your digital presence. Throughout this course, we will explore key concepts, tools, and practices to enhance your digital security, focusing on real-life digital security incidents and case studies from across the MENA.

Learning objectives

Understand key elements of digital security.
Recognize and mitigate common digital threats and violence for human rights defenders and activists.
Identify and employ different tools to enhance your digital security.
Incorporate daily practices to protect your devices, accounts, and communications.

This training is designed to be practical and interactive, providing you with real-world examples and hands-on exercises to reinforce your learning.

There is no ultimate safe and secure online presence. However, there are methods, tools, and practices that would significantly enhance your digital security and lower the risk level. So, let’s begin our journey towards better digital security!

Core reading

Glencora, Borradaile, “Par 3: Defending Social Movements” in Defend Dissent: Digital Suppression and Cryptographic Defense of Social Movements. State Oregon University, 2021.

Recommend toolkits

Security in a Box by Front Line Defenders
Digital Security Resource Hub for Civil Society by Amnesty International

Curriculum

8 Sections
20 Lessons
6 Hours

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Lesson 1: Introduction to Digital Security
Before diving into digital security, the first step is to understand how the internet works. Most of us use the internet but lack knowledge of its operation. It's similar to cars; if we want to use it, we should have at least the basic knowledge of how it operates; accelerator pedal, brakes, handbrakes, steering, mirrors, and probably the airbags! Throughout this lesson, you will be introduced to key concepts related to digital security, starting with key concepts, a glimpse of crucial behaviours that might endanger your online presence, and the journey on the internet.
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Lesson 2: Common Digital Threats
It is worth remembering that mobile devices were originally invented as communication tools. Over time, they have evolved to store a vast amount of personal and work-related data, much like a digital diary. As a result of the data stored on our devices, its value, and vulnerabilities in our digital practices and awareness, these devices become prime targets for digital threats. Throughout this lesson, you will be introduced to the difference between targeted and non-targeted threats, common threats for human rights defenders and activists, and a tool for developing your own threat model.
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Lesson 3: How to Enhance your Device Security
Enhancing your device security involves a multi-faceted approach to protect against various digital threats. During this lesson, we will explore key strategies, starting with physical device security—staying aware of your surroundings and securing your devices! Throughout this lesson, we will provide a few tips and tricks, along with recommended practices to enhance your device security.
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- 3.2
  3.1. Physical Device Security
- 3.3
  3.2. Digital Security for devices
Lesson 4: Upgrade Your Accounts’ Security
Enhancing your account security goes hand-in-hand with updating your device security. Both are equally important, as vulnerabilities in either can increase the risk of various digital threats. Your account security should be robust across all your accounts, including your Samsung or iOS accounts, email accounts, and social media accounts. In this lesson, we will walk you through the main account security features in suggested applications. You may already be familiar with these features but use this opportunity to double-check that they are all activated.
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Lesson 5: Tactics to Improve your Communication’s Security
Communication is fundamental to human interaction, allowing people to connect, collaborate, and thrive through the exchange of knowledge and information. In recent decades, communication has evolved significantly with the advent of the digital sphere. While digital communication is as crucial as face-to-face interaction, it is important to be aware of its vulnerabilities, as neglecting these can lead to various threats.
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Tool Tutorial: Build Your Own Digital Security Threat Model
In this video, you will learn how a digital security threat model looks like in a concrete case scenario.
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- 6.0
  Tool Tutorial: Build Your Own Digital Security Threat Model
Final Quiz
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- 7.0
  Test your Knowledge on Digital Security!
  10 Minutes10 Questions
Your Feedback
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- 8.0
  Share Your Feedback with Us

Cinames Kalimat

Cinames Kalimat holds a BA in English Language and Literature and is currently the Program Coordinator at the Jordan Open Source Association (JOSA). With over eight years of experience managing projects for local and international NGOs, Cinames specialises in partnership and digital security. She works closely with civil society organisations and at-risk individuals in the MENA region to mitigate digital threats and enhance their digital security practices. Prior to JOSA, Cinames worked with different organisations, delivering humanitarian assistance across various sectors, including food security and livelihoods, protection and social cohesion, and emergency response.