As someone who stands up for democracy, you are likely to find yourself –- if you haven't yet already –- the target of a cybersecurity attack. This is not intended to be alarmist; it is reality these days, even for individuals that do not consider themselves to be particular targets. The good thing is that you do not need to become a coder or a tech whiz to defend yourself against common threats. But you do need to be prepared to invest some effort, energy, and time in developing some defenses. Without doing this - and the odds are stacked against you.
This course was developed to help get you started in preparing those defenses. Digital security and the concepts associated with it can be intimidating and overwhelming, so we have designed this course to use simple language, cover the most essential, foundational concepts, and connect with existing resources to avoid reinventing the wheel. Before we begin, please note that this course is intended to be just a starting point on your security journey. While we'll cover a lot of important ground, keep in mind that - especially if you are working in a high risk environment - there are many other specific topics you'll want to consider as well. So in addition to completing this course - and sharing all these best practices with others in your network - we strongly encourage you to conduct your own personal risk assessment and connect with trusted cybersecurity experts and resources for more advanced support. This can include the resources recommended throughout this course and in NDI's Cybersecurity Handbooks for Civil Society Organizations, Political Parties, or Parliaments.