Security-in-a-box blog

Security-related content for human rights defenders.

Quick security recommendations for your devices

BySecurity in a Box | 2024.11.28

A few first effective steps you can take to better protect your device

Pegasus Project Questions and Answers

ByMohammed Al-Maskati | 2021.07.23

Amnesty International and the media platform Forbidden Stories have published an investigation into the use of an Israeli tool to spy on many people in the world. The investigation was called the Pegasus Project. Also available in Arabic, Russian and Chinese.

Digital protection guides - A survey of community resources

ByGus Andrews | 2021.03.24

Introducing an overview of resources on holistic digital, physical, and organizational security, privacy, and wellbeing. Viewable by language, community, and topic.

How recently was Security In A Box updated? New in 2020

ByGus Andrews | 2021.02.01

Updates to tool guides on password managers, browser add-ons, and basic Android security.

Why we still recommend Signal over WhatsApp ...even though they both use end-to-end encryption

ByMaria Xynou & Chris Walker | 2016.05.23

WhatsApp's collaboration with Open Whisper Systems recently brought end-to-end encryption to the lives of a billion people around the world. (Open Whisper Systems develops Signal, an open source mobile messaging and VoIP app.) When WhatsApp integrated the encryption protocol developed for Signal, many of us began using end-to-end encryption without even realizing it.

Lets Encrypt - Moving Towards an Encrypted Web

ByMaria Xynou | 2015.12.03

Do you own a website? If so, as of today Let's Encrypt, a new non-profit certificate authority (CA), entered Public Beta and allows you to add HTTPS to your website for free and more easily than ever before.

TrueCrypts Security Flaws - What Now?

ByMaria Xynou | 2015.10.08

In the last week, critical security flaws have been reported in TrueCrypt, the open source software for file and disk encryption. As a result, we are reviewing our advice on file and disk encryption and we now recommend users to consider other tools for secure file storage.

Workbook on Security - Practical Steps for Human Rights Defenders at Risk

ByFront Line Defenders | 2015.03.13

The Workbook on Security is designed to raise awareness about security issues and to help human rights defenders consider how to mitigate threats. The workbook takes human rights defenders through the steps to producing a security plan - for individuals and for organisations.

For LGBT Ugandans, physical security threats often translate into digital threats and vice versa

BySpyros E. Monastiriotis | 2015.03.13

Uganda has been in the news headlines around the world since 2009, when it introduced its first Anti-homosexuality Bill and there have been several attempts since then to increase penalties for LGBT people and those who help them.

Does encryption still work?

ByChris Walker | 2015.03.11

In light of ongoing revelations about the global surveillance efforts of the US National Security Agency (NSA) and its intelligence allies, you might be wondering if any of this really matters anymore. Much of the recent media coverage appears to suggest that, not only are They recording everything we do and say on the Internet, but now They've defeated our encryption.

Observations on recent India censorship

ByKaustubh Srikanth | 2015.01.06

On 17th December 2014, the Government of India's Ministry of Communications and Information Technology issued an order to all licensed Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in the country to block access to 32 websites, effective immediately.