Year after year, the news related to cybersecurity for NGOs continues to get worse. Many NGOs struggle with capacity and resource constraints that hamper their ability to prioritize and fund investment in cybersecurity awareness and prevention. Even the smallest NGOs have data that is valuable to criminals and state actors, and this sector now makes up the second largest segment of cyberattack victims, after government entities.
Digital transformation is often challenging for NGOs in general, and prioritizing cybersecurity can no longer be a back-burner issue. "We have seen a trend in recent years of more targeted threats by persistent threat actors in the sector, as sophisticated hacking tools have become more generally available. These groups and individuals are also leveraging more advanced social engineering strategies,” says Michael Enos, TechSoup's Vice President of Infrastructure, Security, and Compliance, who also heads up its internal cybersecurity program.
The Global Cyber Alliance (GCA) and TechSoup have partnered to support a better cybersecurity posture for NGOs around the world. TechSoup brings a wide reach and global network of partners, as well as close relationships with the largest technology companies, to democratize access to the most critical technology tools. Meanwhile, GCA brings deep expertise in cybersecurity and thoughtfully curated toolkits designed to guide NGOs and other types of vulnerable entities to improve their cybersecurity posture, which in turn improves that of the global cyber ecosystem. Together, we can build on each other’s strengths and multiply our collective efforts.
TechSoup and GCA have been collaborating for some time. In 2023, we co-designed a training webinar series delivered through the TechSoup Digital Resilience Program to 30 NGOs in Kenya, Colombia, and the U.S. Today, GCA and TechSoup are building a bridge between our respective product offerings to provide a broader universe of support.
The GCA Cybersecurity Toolkit for Mission-Based Organizations is now featured on the TechSoup Essential Security Resources for Nonprofits page to guide organizations looking to get started with no-cost tools and resources. The GCA toolkit is similarly featuring TechSoup's cybersecurity resources to open their constituents up to what discounted tools are available at reduced cost for nonprofits.
“Perhaps the biggest cybersecurity problem for civil society organizations is confusion and noise about what steps to take to secure their operations and advance their mission," said Philip Reitinger, the President and CEO of GCA. "GCA and TechSoup are working together to simplify cybersecurity for civil society organizations, pointing them both to free resources and reduced cost ones, regardless of where the organization looks first.”
This is just the beginning. Artificial intelligence will change the entire threat landscape in favor of bad actors, who will have more efficient tools to deploy in an attack. Partnerships like ours will be critical in ensuring that civil society remains able to defend itself and continue to serve its communities. There are many organizations like GCA and TechSoup in this fight, and we cannot do it alone.
About TechSoup
TechSoup is a global nonprofit social enterprise dedicated to increasing civil society’s access to and effective use of digital technology through its mission — to build a dynamic bridge that leverages technology to enable connections and innovative solutions for a more equitable planet. We provide NGOs around the world with the tools, training, and services they need to enhance their digital capacity, literacy, and security.
About the Global Cyber Alliance
The Global Cyber Alliance is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to making the Internet a safer place by reducing cyber risk. We build programs, tools, and partnerships to sustain a trustworthy Internet to enable social and economic progress for all.
Top photo: Shutterstock
