What we know about video conferencing with Slack
Learn about the security, privacy, and anti-abuse measures of the Slack video chat platform.
Wear a mask, then cover your face with Signal
Learn how to blur faces in photos with Signal, the encrypted messaging app.
Redacting photos on the go: A field guide
Photos and how we share them can present risks to the people and sensitive information that’s been captured in the process. In this guide, we discuss how to safely redact photos on the go.By and large, the most-used cameras in people’s hands are the ones built into their smartphones. …
Beyond Signal phone numbers
Something exciting is happening at Signal: Through novel encryption techniques and architecture, we may be moving away from phone numbers as user IDs.
What we know about video conferencing with Google Meet
Learn about the security, privacy, and anti-abuse measures of the Google Meet video chat platform.
What we know about video conferencing with Jitsi Meet
Learn about the security, privacy, and anti-abuse measures of the Jitsi Meet video chat platform.
What we know about video conferencing with Whereby
Learn about the security, privacy, and anti-abuse measures of the Whereby video chat platform.
What we know about video conferencing with Zoom
Learn about the security, privacy, and anti-abuse measures of the Zoom video chat platform.
Evaluating videoconferencing tools
We outline some of the questions we think about when critically assessing video conferencing tools, and how journalists can determine what’s right for them.
Choosing the right video conferencing tool for the job
Learn about which video chat tools are secure and practical for your situation.
What about antivirus?
Antivirus software is one of the oldest offerings available from the now-billion-dollar cybersecurity industry. But what does antivirus software do to help protect our devices, what does it not do, and do we really need it?
Where does your team store its two-factor authentication codes?
The choice between storing two-factor authentication codes on your device, versus a remote service in the cloud comes with some usability and security trade-offs.
Taking private photos with Signal
Nearly everyone’s sent private photos at some point. But who else is able to see them, beyond your conversational partner? When sent over text messages and apps, who else gets a copy?If you send a photo over text message, the service provider (e.g., Verizon) can usually read the message …
How reporters’ emails get got: Case studies in legal requests and hacking
Before potentially burning a source or tipping off a target before you're ready, journalists should know the privacy and security constraints of email — who can see your emails, and when?
Two-factor authentication for beginners
Also available in Spanish.Passwords are the brittle wall that keeps unwanted visitors out of your accounts. When it comes to account protection, two-factor authentication is one of the most effective defenses available.Two-factor authentication, or 2FA for short, strengthens login security by requiring a second piece of information …
We ran over some security keys with a car and some still worked
One of the most common questions we get in training journalists on two-factor authentication (2FA) is: How hard are these hardware security keys exactly? Our digital security team has plenty of anecdotes to support their durability, but we've decided to methodically put them to the test.
Newsrooms, let's talk about Office 365
Once upon a time, Microsoft Office provided a small suite of applications on your computer, including Word for writing, Excel for spreadsheets, and PowerPoint for presentations. But increasingly, modern newsrooms use Office 365 to access these tools over the web, alongside remote storage and team management software. While working on the web offers obvious advantages, many reporters also wonder about the privacy and security of this data. What about our most sensitive, unpublished details when reporting? What can Microsoft see?
Freedom of the Press Foundation and USC Journalism School announce partnership on digital security
Freedom of the Press Foundation and the University of Southern California Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism are excited to announce an innovative partnership to develop comprehensive digital security education for journalism and communication students. Additionally, Yubico, a leading provider of hardware authentication security keys, will be providing YubiKey …
Encrypting email with Mailvelope
This guide is an overhaul of a previous piece, entitled "Encrypting email with Mailvelope: A beginner's guide."
Here’s how to share sensitive leaks with the press
Thinking about securely leaking information to news organizations? This guide will show you how.
Newsrooms, let’s talk about Google Workspace
If you work in a newsroom, there’s a good chance you work with colleagues on Google Docs, Slides, Sheets, and more. Google Workspace software is simple and powerful. But anyone working in a newsroom has probably asked themselves: What can Google see? What about our most sensitive conversations and documents? What about documents that concern our own unreleased reporting, or information on our sources?
Leaking on the clock: What your sources need to know
Last week, Eric Trump tweeted a screenshot of an email that circulated through the Trump Organization by Washington Post reporter David Fahrenthold. Although the tweet sensationalized Fahrenholt’s emails, it should fall short of qualifying for reality TV levels of drama, since reporters do this sort of thing all the time. But are there other considerations to take in mind when reaching out to sources in their workplaces?
An in-depth guide to choosing a web browser
An ever increasing amount of traffic flows through our devices, turning web browsers from our primary gateway to the web into our primary gateway to the rest of the world.In the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic Google Chrome delayed expected browser updates, as employees quickly transitioned to …
Pretty great privacy with PGP smart cards
This guide is intended for readers familiar with using PGP who want to take an extra step in fortifying the security around their private key. Some of these steps also utilize a command-line interface, and it may be helpful to get comfortable with that interface before diving in. For a …
Why aren't more journalism schools teaching digital security?
Journalism schools have been slow to offer comprehensive security education to students. What's getting in the way?
