SecureDrop team member Kunal Mehta demo’d the SecureDrop Workstation at RightsCon 2025 on Feb. 25. You can watch a recording of the talk (also see below); the slides (PDF) are also available.
In the demo, Mehta explained the multiyear project to provide better and more streamlined tools for journalists to safely handle potentially malicious submissions. Built on top of Qubes OS, a security-focused operating system, SecureDrop Workstation leverages security-through-isolation to keep untrusted files isolated in virtual machines where journalists can review them without risking their safety and security.
Mehta also described a pilot phase in which the SecureDrop team collected and addressed feedback from journalists, before making SecureDrop Workstation generally available in 2024. It is now rolling out to all news organizations that use SecureDrop. In the session, he showcased the SecureDrop Workstation, while contrasting it with the classic SecureDrop workflow, to highlight its new usability and security features.
If you’re a journalist interested in using the SecureDrop Workstation or want to learn more, please contact us — we would be happy to help. Thanks to Access Now for hosting RightsCon and giving us the opportunity to present.
