Digital Security for Journalists, Activists, and Everyday Internet Users: A Hands-On FOSS Workshop

Every day, internet users share personal information, communicate through digital platforms, and rely on online services without fully understanding the security risks involved. Journalists, activists, researchers, community organisers, and even ordinary users increasingly face threats such as phishing attacks, account compromise, device theft, online harassment, surveillance, data breaches, and AI-enabled scams.

Open source is not only about software development; it is also about empowering people with tools that promote autonomy, privacy, security, and freedom. Digital security is a critical component of digital rights and digital self-determination.

While awareness of digital threats has grown, practical digital security skills remain inaccessible to most people. Existing training resources are often highly technical, proprietary, or designed for specialist audiences. By introducing participants to practical security practices through open-source tools and community-driven resources, this workshop aligns with IndiaFOSS's broader vision of strengthening digital commons, promoting user freedom, and building resilient technology communities.

This workshop seeks to bridge that gap through a practical, beginner to intermediate-friendly, and open-source-focused introduction to digital security. Participants will learn how to identify common digital threats, assess their personal risk, and implement simple but effective security measures using Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) tools.

Drawing on SFLC.in's experience in providing digital security assistance and training to over 12,000 journalists, human rights defenders, civil society organisations, and vulnerable communities across India, this session will provide practical skills that attendees can immediately apply in their personal and professional lives.

Workshop Structure: 

Part 1: Understanding Digital Threats (20 Minutes)

• How digital attacks happen

• Real-world examples from India

• Surveillance, phishing, account takeovers, and data breaches

• Threat modelling for ordinary users and journalists

Part 2: Account Security Essentials (25 Minutes)

• Password hygiene and common mistakes

• Introduction to password managers

• Multi-factor authentication

• Hands-on exercise: strengthening account security

Part 3: Spotting and Defeating Phishing (20 Minutes)

• Anatomy of phishing attacks

• AI-generated scams and impersonation attempts

• Identifying malicious emails, messages, and links

• Interactive phishing detection exercise

Part 4: Secure Communication and Privacy (20 Minutes)

• End-to-end encrypted communication

• Metadata and privacy considerations

• Practical comparison of common messaging platforms

• Using privacy-respecting alternatives

Part 5: Device Security Basics (20 Minutes)

• Mobile phone security

• Laptop security essentials

• Updates, backups, encryption, and safe browsing

• Practical security checklist

Part 6: Open-Source Security Toolkit (15 Minutes)

Participants will be introduced to a curated set of FOSS tools and resources, including:

• KeePassXC

• Bitwarden

• Signal

• Firefox

• uBlock Origin

• Privacy Guides resources

• Other community-maintained open-source security tools

By the end of the workshop, participants will:

• Understand common digital threats faced by internet users and journalists.

• Learn the basics of threat modelling and risk assessment.

• Improve account security through password management and multi-factor authentication.

• Identify and respond to phishing attempts and social engineering attacks.

• Secure communications using privacy-respecting and open-source tools.

• Learn best practices for securing laptops and mobile devices.

• Gain familiarity with open-source digital security resources that can be adopted immediately.

Participants will leave with:

• A practical digital security checklist.

• Improved understanding of online risks.

• Hands-on experience with open-source security tools.

• Resources for continued self-learning.

• Actionable steps to improve their own digital security immediately after the workshop.