- Identity Protection: Safeguarding the researchers’ identities is paramount in the face of persistent threat actors. Employing VPNs, proxies, and the Tor network effectively conceals the origin of our investigations.
- Vigilance Against Social Engineering: The team must remain vigilant against potential social engineering attacks, exercising caution in online interactions, and employing techniques to recognize and counter such attempts.
- Source Anonymity Protection: As individuals become sources in the project, maintaining their anonymity is essential. This requires providing training, implementing encrypted communication channels, and minimizing the sharing of sensitive information.
- Secure Online Activities: Awareness of the team’s online activities is critical. Utilizing secure browsers, privacy tools, and advanced techniques helps protect their digital footprints.
- End-to-End Encrypted Communication: Internal communication should prioritize security. Implementing end-to-end encryption in messages and calls ensures that sensitive information remains protected during transit.
- Critical Evaluation of Information Sources: Throughout the project, we must remain vigilant against counterintelligence or directed disinformation attacks. Continuously evaluating the credibility of information sources is crucial to prevent the spread of false or biased information that could jeopardize the project.
- Addressing Psychological Implications: Disinformation projects can take an emotional toll, especially when facing sophisticated adversaries. Providing adequate support to researchers to cope with these implications is essential. Andy Carvin’s work on this subject is highly relevant, and I recommend reading one of his articles. The link is available here
- Ongoing Risk Assessment: Regularly conducting risk assessments is essential to adapt to evolving threats and enhance security measures as the project progresses. A tool from the Global Investigative Journalism Network can aid in this process. The link is available here.
Mitigating these risks is fundamental for the success of the team’s investigative projects, especially when facing global disinformation actors with vast resources. Security and privacy must remain top priorities to protect the researchers and their well-being.
Therefore, the project should incorporate a meticulously devised plan to address these concerns, offering countermeasures, confronting issues head-on, openly discussing the challenges faced, seeking guidance from experienced team members, maintaining unity, and fostering a culture of mutual support. Additionally, seeking expert advice and assistance from support organizations, as recommended by Andy Carvin in his article, is highly recommended.