Creating a Security Culture
Fostering A Security Culture Is As Important As Physical And Digital Security
Developing a strong security culture within and across organizations resisting authoritarianism is essential to protect people, information, and strategies from infiltration, harassment, and violence. Lessons from the U.S. and global movements emphasize the importance of proactive planning, trust-building, and adaptability.
Best Practices for Building a Strong Security Culture
1. Establish Clear Policies and Protocols
Why: Clear, documented policies set expectations and standardize responses to threats.
How:
Develop protocols for handling sensitive information, including meeting minutes, personal data, and other records of decisions, and for vetting new members, and responding to crises.
Include guidance on digital security, physical safety, and emergency responses.
Regularly review and update policies to adapt to changing threats.
2. Emphasize Need-to-Know Principles
Why: Minimizing information sharing limits the potential damage of leaks or infiltration.
How:
Share sensitive information only with those who need it for specific tasks.
Use tiered access to information, ensuring only core members have full details of plans.
Train members to avoid casual conversations about organizational activities.
3. Foster a Culture of Trust and Accountability
Why: Trust is essential in high-risk environments, and accountability ensures adherence to security practices.
How:
Vet new members carefully, using references and staged involvement in activities.
Encourage open discussions about security without creating a climate of fear or suspicion.
Hold members accountable for breaches of protocol, ensuring consequences are fair and transparent.
Avoid gossip, and sniping, both within and across organizations.
4. Invest in Digital Security
Why: Online communications are vulnerable to surveillance, hacking, and disinformation campaigns.
How:
Use encrypted communication platforms (e.g., Signal, ProtonMail) for sensitive discussions.
Regularly update software and use strong, unique passwords with two-factor authentication.
Limit the use of social media for organizing, and avoid sharing specific plans online.
Train members on phishing scams, malware, and secure data storage.
5. Develop Physical Safety Measures
Why: Protecting members from physical threats, such as surveillance or harassment, is critical, both to their safety and well-being, and to perpetuating a strong security culture by dodging or minimizing the divisive pressure of threats and violence.
How:
Conduct risk assessments of meeting spaces and public events.
Establish emergency plans for protests, including escape routes and safe zones.
Train members in de-escalation tactics and first aid.
Use basic measures like curtains or screens to obscure meeting spaces from view.
6. Practice Nonviolent Discipline
Why: Maintaining nonviolent discipline during actions minimizes opportunities for repression and maintains public support.
How:
Train members in nonviolent tactics, including de-escalation, remaining calm under provocation, and avoiding retaliatory actions.
Clearly communicate expectations for behavior during events, emphasizing collective safety.
7. Conduct Security Trainings
Why: Regular training ensures that all members understand and can implement security protocols.
How:
Offer workshops on digital security, physical safety, and legal rights.
Practice emergency scenarios, such as raids or data breaches, to prepare members for real-world challenges.
Share case studies of past incidents to learn from successes and failures.
8. Establish Legal and Advocacy Support
Why: Access to legal resources ensures members are protected in case of arrests, lawsuits, or surveillance.
How:
Build relationships with sympathetic lawyers and legal aid organizations.
Set up rapid response teams to provide legal support and publicize arrests.
Train members in "know your rights" workshops tailored to local laws.
9. Build Strong Networks and Alliances
Why: Collaboration with other organizations strengthens collective security.
How:
Share security resources and strategies with allied groups.
Coordinate actions to reduce risks, such as organizing staggered protests or providing mutual aid.
Establish communication channels for rapid responses to threats affecting multiple organizations.
10. Monitor and Counter Surveillance
Why: Many authoritarian regimes use surveillance to intimidate and disrupt opposition.
How:
Regularly check for and remove surveillance devices in offices and meeting spaces, including those that you may.
Use burner phones, anonymized accounts and secure communications platforms like Signal for high-risk communications.
Be aware of and avoid digital tools known to share data with authoritarian actors.
11. Prioritize Wellness and Mental Health
Why: Activism in authoritarian contexts can lead to burnout, fear, and trauma, which compromise security.
How:
Build wellness practices, including peer support networks and mental health resources.
Regularly debrief after high-stress actions to process emotions and experiences.
Encourage members to take breaks and avoid overwork.
12. Document and Archive Securely
Why: Proper documentation ensures movements retain knowledge while protecting sensitive information.
How:
Use secure, offline methods for storing sensitive documents.
Regularly back up important files, encrypting them to prevent unauthorized access.
Archive lessons learned from actions while anonymizing individuals involved.
Examples of Security Culture in Action
1. Otpor! in Serbia
Tactic: The youth movement used anonymous, small-scale organizing to evade police infiltration. Members communicated using low-tech methods like handwritten notes and face-to-face meetings.
Takeaway: Maintaining anonymity and decentralization limits exposure to repression.
2. Hong Kong’s Umbrella Movement
Tactic: Protesters used encrypted apps, avoided digital footprints, and wore masks to evade facial recognition technologies.
Takeaway: Combining high-tech tools with analog strategies (e.g., handwritten signs) enhances security.
3. Indigenous Land Defenders in Canada
Tactic: Communities created secure meeting spaces, established legal defense funds, and built alliances with national organizations.
Takeaway: Strong networks and legal preparation protect vulnerable groups from state and corporate repression.
The Wrap Up
Stay Proactive: Anticipate risks and implement security measures before they are needed.
Decentralize Power: Minimize the impact of infiltration or leadership targeting by spreading responsibilities.
Cultivate Resilience: Focus on trust, wellness, and adaptability to sustain movements over time.
Build Solidarity: Share resources and strategies across movements to strengthen collective resistance.
Stay Committed to Principles: Uphold democratic and nonviolent values, even under pressure, to maintain legitimacy and public support.
By adopting these practices, organizations can better withstand the challenges posed by authoritarian environments, protect their members, and continue advancing the fight for justice and democracy.