Digital surveillance targeting human rights defenders has become a critical threat globally, and now a major VPN provider is stepping in to help. Surfshark announced in October 2024 that it is becoming a supporting partner of Amnesty International’s Digital Forensics Fellowship (DFF), a 6-month training program designed to equip activists, journalists, and human rights defenders with the skills to detect and respond to spyware attacks.
Key Takeaways
- Surfshark is sponsoring 10 fellowship spots annually starting in 2025 for Amnesty’s Digital Forensics Fellowship program.
- DFF has already trained over 50 fellows from 25+ countries since its 2022 launch, focusing on regions like the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America.
- Amnesty’s Security Lab has documented spyware use against journalists and activists in 45+ countries since 2019, with Pegasus infections confirmed in at least 15 countries this year alone.
- The 6-month fellowship covers digital threat assessment, forensic tool training, spyware case studies, secure practices, incident response drills, and independent investigations.
- This marks Surfshark’s first major partnership with a human rights organization, positioning the VPN provider as a defender of digital rights.
Why This Partnership Matters Right Now
Spyware attacks on human rights defenders have reached epidemic proportions. Amnesty International’s Security Lab has documented the use of Pegasus spyware—a sophisticated zero-click exploit distributed via iMessage by NSO Group—against journalists and activists across 45 countries since 2019. This year alone, Pegasus infections have been confirmed on devices of journalists in at least 15 countries, silencing dissent and intimidating those who expose state abuses. Surfshark’s partnership directly addresses this crisis by scaling access to critical digital forensics training that was previously available to only a handful of defenders.
The timing is significant. With the NSO Group facing international sanctions and blacklisting, state actors are increasingly turning to alternative spyware like Predator—developed by Cytrox and Intellexa—which operates via SMS lures and has infected devices in 30+ countries. Human rights defenders need practical, up-to-date knowledge to survive in this threat landscape. The DFF program teaches fellows to identify surveillance indicators like anomalous battery drain, unexpected data usage, and suspicious network activity—the red flags that often go unnoticed until it’s too late.
How the Digital Forensics Fellowship Works
The DFF program is built on a structured 6-month curriculum that transforms participants from digital novices into skilled threat hunters. Fellows begin with digital threat assessment, learning to spot the subtle signs of compromise on their own devices and those of colleagues. They then move into hands-on forensic tool training, using specialized software like MVT (Mobile Verification Toolkit), PCSclite for SIM card analysis, and custom Amnesty scripts designed specifically to detect iOS and Android spyware infections.
The curriculum includes real-world case studies analyzing actual attacks—Pegasus zero-click exploits, Predator SMS lures, and other documented threats. Fellows learn not just how these attacks work, but how to explain them to non-technical colleagues and organizations. The secure practices module covers VPN implementation, encrypted messaging via Signal, endpoint protection, and digital hygiene protocols that transform defensive posture from reactive to proactive. Incident response drills simulate attacks with step-by-step mitigation procedures, including device isolation, evidence preservation, and reporting to platforms and authorities. The capstone project requires fellows to conduct independent investigations and produce reports on local surveillance threats, turning their training into actionable intelligence for their communities.
Surfshark’s Role in Strengthening Digital Defense
Surfshark is not merely lending its name to this effort. The VPN provider will supply VPN services, training resources, and technical support to DFF fellows at no cost. Starting in 2025, Surfshark will sponsor 10 fellowship spots annually, dramatically expanding the program’s reach and impact. For context, this is Surfshark’s first major partnership with a human rights organization, signaling a strategic shift toward activism-focused partnerships.
The partnership leverages Surfshark’s core strengths: unlimited simultaneous device connections (crucial for activists managing multiple devices), a no-logs policy independently audited by Deloitte in 2022 and Cure53 in 2023, and features like MultiHop (double VPN routing) and CleanWeb (ad and malware blocking). These tools address real vulnerabilities in the threat model facing human rights defenders. While competitors like ProtonVPN offer free tiers for activists and Mullvad emphasizes privacy without email signup, Surfshark’s unlimited device support makes it more scalable for group training and organizational deployment. Dr. Bill Marczak, Senior Research Manager at Amnesty International’s Security Lab, noted that digital forensics training is essential to uncover and counter spyware threats that silence dissent.
The Scale of the Threat
The numbers reveal why this partnership is urgent. Since 2019, Amnesty’s Security Lab has documented Pegasus use against 80+ journalists and activists across 45 countries. Access Now, a digital rights organization, reported 1,120+ digital attacks on human rights defenders globally in 2023—a 50% increase from 2022. Predator spyware, meanwhile, has been confirmed in 30+ countries, with 2024 infections documented in Egypt, Greece, and Saudi Arabia. The DFF program has trained over 50 fellows from 25+ countries since launching in 2022, but demand far exceeds supply. Surfshark’s commitment to sponsor 10 spots annually will help close this gap, though the need remains vast.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Digital Forensics Fellowship program?
The DFF is a 6-month training initiative run by Amnesty International that teaches human rights defenders, activists, and journalists how to detect and respond to digital surveillance and spyware attacks. Fellows learn digital threat assessment, forensic tools, incident response, and secure communication practices. The program is free for selected participants, and applications open annually via amnesty.org/dff. The next cohort starts in Q1 2025.
How does Surfshark’s partnership expand DFF’s reach?
Surfshark will provide free VPN services, training resources, and technical support to DFF fellows. The company is sponsoring 10 fellowship spots annually starting in 2025, effectively doubling the program’s capacity and making advanced digital forensics training accessible to more defenders globally.
Why do human rights defenders need VPN and forensics training?
State-sponsored spyware like Pegasus and Predator can infect devices silently, giving attackers access to messages, location data, and sensitive files. VPNs encrypt internet traffic to prevent interception, while forensics training enables defenders to detect compromises early and respond before sensitive information is stolen. Together, these tools level the playing field against well-resourced state surveillance.
Surfshark’s partnership with Amnesty International marks a significant shift in how the private tech sector supports digital rights. By combining VPN infrastructure with structured forensics training, the partnership addresses both immediate threats and long-term resilience for those defending human rights in hostile digital environments. For activists and journalists operating in countries where surveillance is a daily reality, access to these tools and skills is no longer a luxury—it is survival.
Edited by the All Things Geek team.
Source: Tom's Guide
