NUJ and Centre for Investigative Journalism – free training

Introduction to privacy and information security: concepts and tools

Wednesday 17 September 2014 18.30 until 20.30

Where

NUJ Headland House, 308-312 Gray’s Inn Road, London

Details

This free workshop for NUJ members will give attendees an overview of the range of threats from public and private organisations and the various measures to deal with them.

The trainer will look at what tools to use (and not use) under certain conditions and how to defeat state-level attacks against your communications on a shoestring budget.

While many of the threats to electronic communications have been discussed for decades, the revelations made by Edward Snowden last year have shown us the scope and scale of the intrusion on our basic rights as humans and journalists.

As a journalist you need to be able to protect your sources, yourself and your story (in that order). This means securing both content and meta-data relating to any communications you have with them by electronic or other means. In the future the ability of a journalist to effectively do this could determine if sources come to them or not.

Glen Greenwald was almost passed over for the scoop of a lifetime because he did not have encrypted email on his laptop at the time Snowden was trying to contact him.

After the introduction to basic theory and time for a Q&A, the various tools that can be used will be discussed. This discussion will include tools to browse anonymously, chat and mail with encryption and prevent data-loss from theft/confiscation of laptops and storage media (the TOR-browser, Truecrypt, GPG mailcrypto etc).

A slightly more advanced practical workshop will be held in the future - if you are interested in the hands-on infosec labs please email minal@tcij.org

The NUJ and the Centre for Investigative Journalism have co-organised this free event for NUJ members.

The event is primarily directed towards journalists, NGO workers and activists.

To register please email: sarahk@nuj.org.uk with the number of places and names for the booking.

This event will be held subject to a minimum number of registrations and will be confirmed by Friday 12 September.

The Trainer

Arjen Kamphuis is co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of Gendo. He studied science and policy at Utrecht University and worked for IBM and Twynstra Gudde as IT architect, trainer and IT strategy advisor. Since late 2001 Arjen is working independently and advises clients on the strategic impact of new technological developments.

New handbook available

Information Security for Journalists
By Silkie Carlo and Arjen Kamphuis

This handbook is a very important practical tool for journalists and it is of particular importance to investigative reporters. For the first time journalists are now aware that virtually every electronic communication we make or receive is being recorded, stored and subject to analysis and action. As this surveillance is being conducted in secret, without scrutiny, transparency or any realistic form of accountability, our sources, our stories and our professional work itself is under threat.

After Snowden’s disclosures we know that there are real safeguards and real counter measures available. The CIJ’s latest handbook, Information Security for Journalists, lays out the most effective means of keeping your work private and safe from spying. It explains how to write safely, how to think about security and how to safely receive, store and send information that a government or powerful corporation may be keen for you not to know, to have or to share. To ensure your privacy and the safety of your sources, Information Security for Journalists will help you to make your communications indecipherable, untraceable and anonymous.

For more information, please visit the CIJ's website.

Event details on the NUJ website, please share with colleagues and NUJ members: http://www.nuj.org.uk/events/introduction-to-privacy-and-information-security-concepts-and/