Cybersecurity for Humanitarian Workers

Course Overview

This course is designed to equip humanitarian professionals with essential cybersecurity knowledge and practical skills to protect sensitive data, digital infrastructure, and field operations in high-risk and resource-constrained environments.

Participants will learn how cyber threats impact humanitarian organizations, including data breaches, phishing attacks, ransomware, surveillance, and misinformation campaigns. The course focuses on real-world risks faced by NGOs, international organizations, and field teams working in conflict-affected and fragile contexts.

Through practical case studies, hands-on exercises, and sector-specific scenarios, the course emphasizes ethical, responsible, and context-aware cybersecurity practices that prioritize the safety of staff, partners, and affected communities—particularly within the MENA and Levant regions.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

Understand core cybersecurity concepts and threats affecting humanitarian organizations
Identify common cyber risks in field operations, remote work, and crisis settings
Protect sensitive data, beneficiary information, and organizational systems
Detect and respond to phishing, malware, and social engineering attacks
Apply digital security best practices for communication, data storage, and access control
Strengthen organizational resilience against cyber incidents and data breaches
Integrate cybersecurity principles into humanitarian risk management and duty of care

Target Audience

Humanitarian workers and field practitioners
NGO staff and program managers
IT, data, and information management officers
Communication and media professionals
Policy advisors and advocacy specialists
Human rights defenders and civil society actors
University students preparing for careers in humanitarian and development sectors

Why This Course Matters

Humanitarian organizations increasingly rely on digital tools to deliver aid, communicate, and advocate for affected populations. Cybersecurity failures can put lives at risk, compromise sensitive data, and undermine trust.

This course empowers participants to make informed decisions, reduce digital risks, and build safer, more resilient humanitarian operations in an evolving threat landscape.