Twelve years ago this month, Cloudflare launched an ambitious project built on a simple idea: people shouldn’t be knocked offline just because someone more powerful disagrees with them. Today, Project Galileo provides free access to cybersecurity services to more than 3,400 websites belonging to journalists, human rights defenders, and other nonprofit organizations in 120 countries.
We continue to believe that a better Internet is one where anyone with an idea can reach a global audience. Each year on the anniversary of Project Galileo, we announce new products, programs, and strategic partnerships. To celebrate our 12th anniversary this year, we’re publishing our first comprehensive report on cyberattacks targeting civil society, releasing case studies that explore the security needs of 16 Project Galileo participants, and announcing new project partners.
Introducing a new annual report on cyberattacks against global civil society Because Project Galileo now includes 3,400 domains belonging to organizations in over 120 countries, Cloudflare has access to unique data regarding the cyber threats, attacks, and trends targeting civil society — a critical pillar of global democracy. In addition, because the Cloudflare network spans more than 335 cities in 125 countries and more than 20% of the web sits behind it, we were also able to compare attacks targeting civil society with those targeting the Internet more broadly.
The full report can be explored here . This year’s data demonstrates that civil society organizations were targeted more frequently, and often more intensely, than other Internet users. Cyberattacks often coincided with critical moments in civil society’s work, such as publishing investigative reporting or conducting public advocacy.
Our key findings include: DDoS attacks were the most common cyber threat against civil society. Their defining feature was duration, with some spanning days and weeks. Civil society groups faced attempts to exploit website vulnerabilities at a rate more than seven times higher than other Cloudflare customers.
Media organizations were disproportionately impacted. Journalists operating in exile faced a rate of malicious traffic that was nearly four times higher than journalism organizations overall. Nearly 10% of all emails Cloudflare processed for civil society included potential phishing material.
We conclude our report with a call to action: ensure simple and affordable cybersecurity for all, expand transparency about cyberattacks and Internet shutdowns, and embed AI and post-quantum protections into security tools by default. We hope this report can serve as a resource for civil society, policymakers, and the broader public seeking to understand and respond to cyberattacks.
Moving forward, we plan to produce it annually, allowing us to compare cyber threat trends over time. In addition to the report, Cloudflare released the following qualitative case studies that add context about each organization’s security needs. Organization Description Country/Region of Operation SHARE Foundation Nonprofit advocating for privacy, free expression, and other digital rights.
Serbia Hledaczvirat Online platform/database for finding lost and found pets, connecting owners with animal shelters. Czech Republic Iran Watch / The Wisconsin Project Research project tracking Iran's weapons capabilities and nonproliferation issues, run by the Wisconsin Project on Nuclear Arms Control. United States Bulletin of Atomic Scientists Nonprofit media organization covering nuclear risk, climate change, and disruptive tech.
United States The Royal Meteorological Society Society for weather and climate science, supporting meteorology research, education, and professional accreditation. United Kingdom Project Ainita An engineering collective that develops tools and research for human rights organizations, lawyers, and activists operating in high-risk environments. Global Ukraine War Archive Digital archive documenting and preserving evidence of war crimes and events from the Russia-Ukraine war.
Ukraine Our World in Data Research and data publication on global issues like poverty, health, and climate. United Kingdom Hague Institute for Innovation of Law Think-and-do tank focused on user-friendly justice systems and resolving justice problems for people worldwide. Netherlands Center for American Progress Progressive public policy research and advocacy think tank.
United States Sea Shepherd Brazil Brazilian chapter of Sea Shepherd, marine conservation organization protecting ocean wildlife and ecosystems. Brazil elTOQUE Independent digital media outlet covering Cuba, including news, economics, and exchange rate tracking. Global Humanitix Nonprofit ticketing platform donating booking fees to children's education and health charities.
Australia Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) Global investigative journalism network exposing organized crime and corruption. Netherlands Activist Rights Legal information resource for activists on their rights and legal risks during protest and campaigning. Australia China Digital Times Bilingual news website covering censorship, human rights, and politics in China.
United States Welcoming new partners Project Galileo relies on its 59 civil society partners to be a success. Every single organization that applies to the program is reviewed and approved by one of these partners. These groups volunteer their time and expertise, often reviewing multiple applications per day, to help make sure our services go to deserving organizations.
Over time, these relationships have not only helped grow Project Galileo into the program it is today, but also launched entirely new initiatives, like our email security partnership with Protect. ngo (formerly CyberPeace Institute) or our work supporting Internet measurement at public schools through UNICEF's Giga project .
Originally published at blog.cloudflare.com
