The Citizen Lab

💬NEW REPORT: The Citizen Lab takes a deep dive into the network encryption protocol used by #WeChat, an app with over one billion users. The app uses a custom #encryption protocol called “MMTLS” that introduces cryptographic weaknesses. Read the report: t.co/9EmcuMXqnC

“The Canadian government is asleep at the wheel when it comes to export controls of this type of dual-use technology,” the Citizen Lab’s @RonDeibert said in a follow-up interview with @CTVKitchener about Sandvine. Watch here: t.co/ewzRexvy6Y

UPDATE: @Microsoft’s Digital Crimes Unit takes legal action to dismantle Russia-based threat actor COLDRIVER following our joint investigation with @accessnow. Read more: t.co/HV8oplHyEF

🆕 NEW ARTICLE The Citizen Lab’s @sienaanstis and former legal intern Émilie LaFlèche identify that the key to understanding digital transnational repression lies at its intersection with gender. In their article published in Globalizations, they call upon the research community to dive deeper into the gender dimensions of transnational repression. Full article: Gender-based digital transnational repression as a global authoritarian practice t.co/hpvOUcH7yP

TONIGHT at 8 pm EDT on @cbcideas: The Citizen Lab's Lex Gill (@lex_is) considers what law can and can't do to create a better world and how social and cultural movements can influence the evolution of law.

CALL FOR PAPERS: Free and Open Communications on the Internet (FOCI) 2025 is looking for two, four, and eight-page submissions on topics broadly relating to Internet freedom. Deadline for Issue 1 (virtual event) is November 8. Learn more: t.co/ZQuig3C6My t.co/Ce3cFSzRlx

#Apple seeks to dismiss its lawsuit against the surveillance firm #NSOGroup, citing concerns that legal proceedings could risk exposing its security practices to combat commercial surveillance tools. The Citizen Lab’s @RonDeibert shared his thoughts with @washingtonpost, “NSO Group is on the ropes, no longer the only firm in town, and nowhere near as formidable as they once were.” Read the article here: t.co/RZok1HoEMj

Cyberattacks against transnational activists in the US are rampant and women are disproportionately affected. In a new paper for @CLTCBerkeley, the Citizen Lab’s @nouraaljizawi, @gozdebocu, and Nicola Lawford, unpack the cybersecurity landscape, its vulnerabilities, and call on US govt agencies and big tech to do more to prevent, mitigate, and protect high-risk users. Read it here: t.co/WqsV4nUD1A

Despite being blacklisted by the U.S. Department of Commerce, there are no export controls in place for Waterloo-based tech firm #Sandvine. The Citizen Lab’s director @RonDeibert breaks down the lack of regulations and its implications in his latest interview with @CTVKitchener. Watch here: t.co/8NWr0RhIu2

Join us on Sunday, September 15 at 10:30am EDT for a thought-provoking discussion with lawyer and Citizen Lab fellow Lex Gill (@lex_is) in conversation with @cbcideas’ @NahlahAyed at @crowstheatre. Lex will explore themes of injustice, defiance, and what it takes to build a better world. Get your free tickets here: t.co/FY38WiXTrY #CBCIdeas

Join us on Sunday, September 15 at 10:30am EDT for a thought-provoking discussion with lawyer and Citizen Lab fellow Lex Gill (@lex_is) in conversation with @cbcideas’ @NahlahAyed at @crowstheatre. Lex will explore themes of injustice, defiance, and what it takes to build a better world. Get your free tickets here: t.co/FY38WiXTrY #CBCIdeas

Reminder: Join the Citizen Lab & @CLTCBerkeley for a panel on the #cybersecurity threats faced by transnational advocacy groups in the US that are targeted by state and state-related actors. Moderated by @RonDeibert, this discussion will feature Citizen Lab researchers @nouraaljizawi, @gozdebocu, & Nicola Lawford sharing key findings on the cybersecurity threat landscape, resilience, and areas for action and improvement to enhance the cybersecurity of transnational activists in the U.S. Register here: t.co/JKGZ11nUVg

Reminder: Join the Citizen Lab & @CLTCBerkeley for a panel on the #cybersecurity threats faced by transnational advocacy groups in the US that are targeted by state and state-related actors. Moderated by @RonDeibert, this discussion will feature Citizen Lab researchers @nouraaljizawi, @gozdebocu, & Nicola Lawford sharing key findings on the cybersecurity threat landscape, resilience, and areas for action and improvement to enhance the cybersecurity of transnational activists in the U.S. Register here: t.co/JKGZ11nUVg

Join us on Sunday, September 15 at 10:30am EDT for a thought-provoking discussion with lawyer and Citizen Lab fellow Lex Gill (@lex_is) in conversation with @cbcideas’ @NahlahAyed at @crowstheatre. Lex will explore themes of injustice, defiance, and what it takes to build a better world. Get your free tickets here: t.co/FY38WiXTrY #CBCIdeas

What can be done to protect refugees’ privacy rights and enhance their digital security? In an important piece published by the @TimepDC, @nouraaljizawi, senior researcher @citizenlab, discusses the massive data breach that compromised the personal information of 3 million Syrian refugees, including minors, residing in Türkiye, highlighting chilling security risks. Read it here: t.co/1sLHRf3PhI #datasecurity #transnationalrepression #Syrian #refugees

Social media platforms are a channel to exercise free speech, but what happens when speaking out online turns you into a target? The Citizen Lab’s @nouraaljizawi discusses the significance and the future of the rights to freedom of thought and expression with @NahlahAyed on @cbcideas. You can listen to the full episode here 👉🏽 Brave New Worlds: The Rights to Free Thought and Free Expression, Part Four t.co/k6qx5Wl5Ng #freedomofexpression

Join the Citizen Lab & @CLTCBerkeley for a panel on the #cybersecurity threats faced by transnational advocacy groups in the US that are targeted by state and state-related actors. Moderated by @RonDeibert, this discussion will feature Citizen Lab researchers @nouraaljizawi, @gozdebocu, & Nicola Lawford sharing key findings on the cybersecurity threat landscape, resilience, and areas for action and improvement to enhance the cybersecurity of transnational activists in the U.S. Register here: t.co/ax6IE7OlZR

TONIGHT at 8 PM: The Citizen Lab’s @nouraaljizawi discusses the rights to freedom of thought and expression @cbcideas with @NahlahAyed. 📻 Listen: t.co/DtmEhPWwSY

In the modern digital age, everything we do leaves a virtual footprint. The Citizen Lab's @RonDeibert and @lex_is discuss the right to privacy and its far-reaching consequences on our lives in the 21st century. 📻 Ideas with @NahlahAyed: Brave New Worlds: The Right to Privacy, Part Two t.co/oC5rDKmdkQ

TUNE IN to @cbcideas with @NahlahAyed tonight at 8 PM EDT to hear @citizenlab's @RonDeibert and @lex_is discuss the right to privacy and its profound implications on our lives in the 21st century, from digital surveillance to issues of sexuality and personal autonomy. 📻 Listen: t.co/bQdD4Ggtxf #humanrights #surveillance

Next week at the @APSAtweets 2024 APSA Annual Meeting & Exhibition, @citizenlab research associate @emiledirks will present a paper co-authored with @UofT associate professor @dianafutweets at a panel on transnational repression tactics of illiberal governance in the 21st century. Learn more: t.co/RfVkPXjdl7 Details on the panel here: t.co/6uG9xbHWXs #transnationalrepression #APSA2024 #uoft

Join the Citizen Lab & @CLTCBerkeley for a panel on the #cybersecurity threats faced by transnational advocacy groups in the US that are targeted by state and state-related actors. Moderated by @RonDeibert, this discussion will feature Citizen Lab researchers @nouraaljizawi, @gozdebocu, & Nicola Lawford sharing key findings on the cybersecurity threat landscape, resilience, and areas for action and improvement to enhance the cybersecurity of transnational activists in the U.S. Register here: t.co/ax6IE7OlZR

How will the UN’s proposed cybercrime treaty impact global cybersecurity efforts? The @citizenlab’s senior researcher @KateRobertson_ breaks it down in her article for @lawfare. #cybercrime #UNGA Read it here 👇 t.co/Muj1rFWrzb

Listen up ⏯️ @citizenlab's @PDXbek & @jsrailton discuss our COLDRIVER report and Russian cyber-espionage on @DecipherSec podcast 🎙️t.co/ovcTpb7Wy3… with @DennisF

Media, activists, former US diplomat were on Russia-aligned phishing campaigns' hit lists t.co/6jEDi7Ab2i @TheRecord_Media

Cold River group has been previously linked to the FSB intelligence service, by @rj_gallagher. “Russian security services show little concern with getting caught and will continue to target anyone, anywhere, to advance their goals,” says @PDXbek, senior researcher at @citizenlab. t.co/JxifUu0tZC via @business

🚨 NEW REPORT by @citizenlab in collaboration with @accessnow, @DeptFirst, Arjuna Team and t.co/JjT4QPjgGi uncovers a sophisticated and highly-personalized #phishing campaign targeting civil society members in the US and Europe, including Russian opposition in exile, NGOs, and media outlets. Report led by @jsrailton & @PDXbek with @edok_lotosov and @RonDeibert: t.co/D2W8g2Qz3y

Happening today 👇

Do you use Chinese keyboard apps? The Citizen Lab has found vulnerabilities in major keyboard apps that could expose keystrokes to spying eyes. Join Jeffrey Knockel, senior research associate and Citizen Lab fellow Mona Wang (@m0namon) for their talk at #DefCon32 on Sunday, August 11 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. t.co/54Z1OZEh08

Vice President #KamalaHarris finds herself at the centre of an online disinformation storm following @POTUS Joe Biden’s endorsement. “We should expect a full spectrum of disinformation,” warned Citizen Lab director @RonDeibert, providing a glimpse of how grim the US political discourse may become. t.co/rMTBbB9SqC