Digital Security on a Budget: Affordable Cybersecurity Tools for NGOs

What if we told you that you don’t need to break the bank to invest in cybersecurity for your Civil Society Organisation? Sounds exciting, right! Well, it’s true.

Given the importance of cybersecurity for civil society organisations (CSOs) and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and the sometimes limited budget, it’s great to have budget-friendly tools and practices. From protecting sensitive data to ensuring safe communication, digital security is critical to keeping your operations running smoothly.nbsp;

This article highlights some essential tools that your organisation can adopt to protect its systems and data.

Password Managers

One of the simplest ways to enhance digital security is by using strong, unique passwords for each account. But then, we can’t possibly remember dozens of complex passwords, we have other things to keep in mind. That’s where password managers come in—they store all your passwords securely, allowing you to generate and store strong passwords for different accounts.

Recommended Password Managers:

• Bitwarden (Free/Low-Cost): Bitwarden is an open-source password manager with a free plan that provides secure password storage, password generation, and even two-factor authentication. For a small fee, the premium version even offers additional features like encrypted storage for sensitive documents.
• LastPass (Free): LastPass offers a free plan that allows users to store and autofill passwords across multiple devices, making it easier to maintain strong security while managing multiple accounts. You can even use it to share passwords across team members in the organisation.
• Microsoft Autofill/Authenticator (Free); This is a free option with a browser extension that allows you to sync passwords across devices.

Why use them?

Password managers reduce the risk of password reuse, a common security mistake, and help prevent unauthorised access to accounts, ensuring that only the right people have access to sensitive information.

Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)

VPNs encrypt your internet connection, making it much harder for cybercriminals or malicious actors to intercept your online activity. This is particularly useful for organisations that often use public or insecure Wi-Fi connections, such as when working remotely or travelling.

Recommended VPNs:

• ProtonVPN (Free/Low-Cost): ProtonVPN offers a free version with unlimited bandwidth and high-end encryption. Its no-log policy ensures that your browsing activity remains private, even on the free plan.
• Psiphon (Free/Low-Cost): Psiphon is an open source free plan with 10GB of data per month and access to servers in multiple countries. It also offers strong encryption and no-logging policies, making it a good option for small NGOs.

Why It’s Useful:

A VPN enhances privacy and prevents your internet service provider (ISP), hackers, or government agencies from tracking your organisation’s online activities, especially in politically sensitive regions where surveillance is a concern.

Encryption Tools

Encryption is essential for protecting your files, emails, and other forms of communication from being accessed by unauthorised parties. Whether youre transmitting sensitive information or storing important documents, encryption ensures that data remains secure.

Recommended Encryption Tools:

• VeraCrypt (Free): VeraCrypt is a free, open-source encryption tool that allows users to create encrypted containers on their devices for storing sensitive data. It can encrypt entire hard drives or just specific files.
• Tutanota (Free/Low-Cost): Tutanota is an encrypted email service with a free plan that offers end-to-end encryption for emails, protecting your communications from being intercepted or tampered with.

Why It’s Useful:

Encryption adds an extra layer of security, ensuring that even if someone gains access to your organisation’s data or communications, they won’t be able to read or use it without the correct decryption key.

Multi Factor Authentication (MFA)

Multi factor authentication (MFA) adds an additional step to the login process, requiring other forms of verification (such as a code sent to a phone) before access is granted. This significantly improves security by ensuring that even if a password is compromised (which is hard if you have a strong unique password that you don’t use for multiple accounts), the attacker would still need the second factor to access the account.

Recommended 2FA Tools:

• Google Authenticator (Free): Google Authenticator is a free app that generates time-based one-time passwords (TOTP) for two-factor authentication, providing an extra layer of security for accounts.
• Authy (Free): Authy offers similar functionality to Google Authenticator but also allows cloud backups of your 2FA codes, making it easier to switch devices without losing access to accounts.

Why It’s Useful:

Multi factor authentication makes it much harder for attackers to compromise your accounts, even if they have your password, which is essential for safeguarding critical organisational information.

Anti-Malware and Antivirus Tools

Cyberattacks can often come in the form of malware, viruses, or spyware that infiltrate your systems and compromise sensitive information. Reliable antivirus and anti-malware software can help detect and eliminate these threats.

Recommended Anti-Malware Tools:

• Malwarebytes (Free/Low-Cost): Malwarebytes offers a free version that can scan for and remove malware from your system. The premium version provides real-time protection to prevent malware infections.
• Avast Free Antivirus (Free): Avast offers a free antivirus solution that provides basic protection against viruses and malware, making it a suitable option for organisations with limited budgets.
• MS Defender (Free): Microsoft Defender is also a great free option, it is on Windows devices by default. You just need to update it regularly.

Why It’s Useful:

Anti-malware software protects your systems from harmful software that could corrupt your files, steal sensitive information, or compromise your organisation’s operations.

Secure Communication Tools

For NGOs and CSOs, especially those operating in politically sensitive environments, secure communication is essential. Using apps that offer end-to-end encryption ensures that only intended recipients can read your messages.

Recommended Secure Communication Tools:

• Signal (Free): Signal is a highly secure messaging app that provides end-to-end encryption for voice calls, texts, and multimedia messages. It’s widely used by journalists and activists due to its strong privacy features.
• Wire (Free/Low-Cost): Wire is another secure messaging app that offers end-to-end encrypted communication for teams. It’s especially useful for remote collaboration, and it offers a free plan for small teams.

Why It’s Useful:

Secure communication apps prevent third parties from intercepting or monitoring your organisation’s discussions, keeping both your team and your partners safe from surveillance.

Cloud Backup Services

Regularly backing up your data ensures that in the event of a cyberattack or data loss, your organisation can quickly recover. Cloud-based backups are convenient and secure, making them an excellent option for NGOs with limited IT infrastructure.

Recommended Cloud Backup Tools:

• Google Drive (Free/Low-Cost): Google Drive offers some free cloud storage and also allows secure file sharing and collaboration within teams. Files are encrypted both in transit and at rest. You can upgrade to an affordable paid plan for more storage and features.
• pCloud (Free/Low-Cost): pCloud offers some free storage too, with the option to purchase additional space. It provides encrypted cloud storage, ensuring that your files are secure at all times.

Why It’s Useful:

Backups are a critical part of any cybersecurity strategy, ensuring that if your systems are compromised, your data is safe and can be restored quickly with minimal disruption.

For organisations operating on limited budgets, digital security may seem daunting. However, with the availability of affordable or free tools, improving your organisation’s digital safety is within reach. Implementing these solutions can significantly reduce your risk of cyberattacks, data breaches, and other digital threats.

By taking proactive steps—using password managers, VPNs, encryption tools, 2FA, anti-malware software, secure communication apps, and cloud backups—your organisation can maintain its operations securely while continuing to make a positive impact in your community. Digital security doesn’t have to be expensive, but it is essential.