Martin Shelton
Dr. Martin Shelton is the principal researcher at Freedom of the Press Foundation, conducting user research on harassment of journalists and digital security education in J-schools.
Martin’s work on Source
Articles by Martin
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Advice for sharing security advice
How to tailor guidance for your audience and come up with a plan for keeping it up-to-date
Posted onHow to tailor guidance for your audience, and come up with a plan for keeping it up-to-date.
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Shields Up: In the Face of Supply Chain Attacks, Stay the Course
Keep calm and keep patching. Here’s what you need to know about this kind of attack.
Posted onEverything you need to know about supply chain attacks, a kind of security breach that targets trusted distribution channels for delivering software and hardware.
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Shields Up: Using Signal Without Giving Your Phone Number
Step-by-step directions for using Google Voice or Twilio to keep your digits private
Posted onEncrypted messaging apps like Signal, as well as WhatsApp and Viber, use your phone number as your main username. This means that if I want to chat with someone on these apps, I have to give them my phone number. But we may have many reasons—both practical and principled—not to share our number with someone. These digits are personal.
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Shields Up: Get Your Malware Shots
How reporters can prepare for malicious software
Posted onMalware lets an unauthorized third party access or take control of your device. In practice, it’s become a catch-all term for a huge variety of malicious software. That could include software that hijacks computing resources, lets an attacker monitor your screen, keystrokes,microphone, or effectively turns your device into an expensive brick.
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How to Lose Friends and Anger Journalists with PGP
Newsrooms have better options
Posted onAll the reasons that journalists should look beyond PGP for sending encrypted messages.
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Two-Factor Authentication for Newsrooms
The easiest ways to make it harder for attackers to access your accounts
Posted onPasswords are the brittle wall that keep unwanted visitors out of your accounts. Breaches can hit anyone, but as frequent targets with sensitive sources, work, and personal information at risk, reporters should take extra care. When it comes to account protection, two-factor authentication is one of the most effective defenses available.
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Shields Up: Developing Security Skepticism
How to become the right kind of cautious, when it comes to security news
Posted onA little fear can motivate us to take action. But as consumers of security news, even the most well-intentioned reporting can scare us into paralysis—or worse, encourage us to adopt behaviors that promote a false sense of security.
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Shields Up: You Are Worthy of a Data Breach
No more modesty—your data is an attractive target, no matter how boring you think you are
Posted onYou know what’s the biggest security threat to journalists? Modesty.
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Opening Secure Channels for Confidential Tips
Our new security columnist breaks down the landscape for securing communications with sensitive sources
Posted onTo make it easier for tipsters to share sensitive information, a growing number of news organizations are launching resources for confidential tips. This short guide will describe some basics around how to think about security on behalf of your sources before thinking about tools and practices.
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Digital Self-Defense for Journalists: An Introduction
How to protect yourself and your newsroom without losing your mind
Posted onDigital self-defense is becoming an important part of the journalistic toolkit. Beyond risks to everyone’s digital lives—webcam hacking, email breaches, identity theft—people who work in newsrooms have even more at stake. Newsrooms are some of the biggest targets in the world for state-sponsored digital attacks, as well as more routine threats. Here’s how to build stronger roadblocks, making it harder for others to access our data without consent.