About TibCERT

TibCERT is a formal, coalition-based structure for reducing and mitigating online threats in the Tibetan community, as well as to expand Tibetans’ technical research capacity on threats in the diaspora and surveillance and censorship inside Tibet. The goal of the project is, ultimately, to ensure greater online freedom and security for Tibetan society as a whole.

TibCERT has two main networks, RESPONSE and RECON:

  • RESPONSE is a formalized, multi-organization rapid response network focused on ensuring Tibetan organizations, and their constituents, are better prepared for attacks, intrusions, etc., and have policies and procedures to follow for information, data and solution sharing, as well as for requesting and providing assistance. RESPONSE provides crisis response capacity, training, and resources, and will support the RECON program (see below) by identifying and handing off incidents in need of further study.
  • RECON facilitates collaboration between a team of digital security experts from within the Tibetan community and cybersecurity research centers and organizations globally who will work together to expand the Tibetan community’s ability to respond, research, analyze, and ultimately defend against malicious adversaries, censorship and surveillance, both inside Tibet and in the Tibetan diaspora. RECON builds on the long collaboration between Tibet Action Institute and other Tibetan CSOs with The Citizen Lab at the University of Toronto and establishes a formal structure that will facilitate innovative collaborations with research groups.

As part of Recon, we will publishing a number of research reports which will focus on targeted attacks against the exile community, censorship and surveillance inside Tibet. TibCERT will also publish quarterly bulletins to be shared with its members and the larger Tibetan Community. The bulletin will focus on threats, solutions and changes in the technology landscape for Tibetans.