Cybersecurity for Journalists

This course equips journalists with practical cybersecurity knowledge and decision-making skills needed to protect themselves, their sources, and their information assets in a modern digital environment.

The course introduces core cybersecurity concepts needed for informed decision making, such as threat modelling, security seen as an arbitration decision, and explicit trust. Participants explore how cyber threats target media professionals, how trust and risk influence security decisions. 

Participants are then given practical knowledge of cybersecurity practices, with a focus on defence-in-layer, secure communications, and information assets security, with introduction to password management, privacy-enhancing technologies, and operational security practices relevant to journalistic work.  Focus will be on how common security tools can be incorporated into everyday workflows, so that best practices become a habit, not a chore.

The course also addresses emerging challenges related to artificial intelligence, misinformation, data reliability, and responsible use of AI-enabled tools. 

Finally, participants gain awareness of legal and regulatory considerations including privacy, data protection, source confidentiality, GDPR obligations, and cross-border information handling. 

After completing the course, participants will be able to make informed cybersecurity decisions, select appropriate protective measures for their professional activities, evaluate security and privacy risks, and apply practical measures to improve the protection of communications, credentials, devices, information, and sources.