Helping small, at-risk civil society organizations (CSOs) to protect themselves, their operations, and their beneficiaries from digital threats.
In high-risk contexts, people rely on local CSOs for safety, services, and trusted information—but those CSOs themselves face mounting digital risks. The digital channels that enable their work also expose their operations, data, staff, and beneficiaries to targeted attacks. Most digital security support is designed for large organizations with IT teams, not small ones with limited resources. First built with Syrian partners a decade ago, our CyberSTAR approach helps at-risk CSOs strengthen digital security in practical, sustainable ways. Across Eurasia and MENA, we’ve helped 100+ CSOs transform their digital security postures, while advocating for a stronger digital duty of care in the development community.
CSO Resilience Stories
After the Fall: Digital Safety in Today’s Syria
Just over a year after the fall of the Assad regime, a longtime SalamaTech project leader shares her take on what’s changed in Syria—and the digital dangers people face now.
New: Ukrainian Digital Safety Tools
CyberSTAR’s uniquely accessible digital-safety learning tools are now available in the Ukrainian language. They're built for at-risk civil society organizations, but helpful for everyone looking to protect themselves online.
Civil Society Groups Avert Digital Harm: Frontline Stories
Two more success stories show how CyberSTAR empowers small, at-risk civil society organizations to defend themselves from digital attack.
Myanmar’s Journalists Need Digital Safety Support
A new Foundation-supported study from EngageMedia unpacks digital threats that journalists face in post-coup Myanmar—and why international donors must start baking holistic digital safety support into their projects.
Unprecedented Push to Protect Small Eurasian CSOs
Our CyberSTAR team's latest push has helped dozens of Eurasian civil society organizations transform their resilience to digital harm.
CyberSTAR: “Really basic things you do for digital safety make a huge difference”
Sanzhar's story: After having his laptop stolen, this director of a small Central Asias organization explains how his CyberSTAR training turned a potential disaster into a mere inconvenience and replacement expense.
Publications
Shields Up: Ensuring Digital Duty of Care for Myanmar Researchers
Scam Haven: Responding to Surging Cybercrime in Myanmar
Digital Governance in Exile: The National Unity Government’s Digital Services Efforts in Myanmar
Digital Threat Analysis of Egyptian Women’s Organizations
Fight for Survival: Independent Media Under Dictatorship in Myanmar
Unlocked and Exposed: Digital Security and Online Learning in Myanmar
Reporting Against the Odds: Myanmar Journalists and Digital Safety
Crisis Under the Coup: Gender-Based Violence Against Myanmar Women Media Professionals
Guide to Creating Social Media Content
Shifting from Cybersecurity to Digital Safety: Vietnam
