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Computer security and the lack of computer security is a fundamental issue that underpins much of how the Internet does (and doesn't) function. Many of the policy issues that EFF works on are linked to security in deep ways including privacy and anonymity, DRM, censorship, and network neutrality.

EFF works directly on a wide range of security issues including increased deployment of cryptographic protocols through projects like Certbot; improving the security of those protocols; offering legal assistance to researchers through our Coders' Rights Project; offering practical security advice to activists through the surveillance self-defense project; and working on the development of new security standards.

Security Highlights

vintage keys in a web of nodes

Encrypting the Web

The web has largely switched from non-secure HTTP to the more secure HTTPS protocol. All web servers use one of these two protocols to get web pages from the server to your browser. HTTP has serious problems that make it vulnerable to eavesdropping and content hijacking. HTTPS fixes most of...

Coders' Rights Project

EFF's Coders' Rights Project protects programmers and developers engaged in cutting-edge exploration of technology. Security and encryption researchers help build a safer future for all of us using digital technologies, but too many legitimate researchers face serious legal challenges that prevent or inhibit their work. These challenges come from laws...

Security Updates

Security issues banner, a colorful graphic of two barrel keys forming an X

A Tale of Two Cybers

Cyber, Cyber, Cyber. The word makes most technical people cringe but it’s all the rage right now in DC and other policy circles. The rallying calls are now familiar and the central pitch is that private entities and networks—the buzzword is “critical infrastructure”—should be strongly incentivized to “share” information...

Broken laptop

United States v. Gilberto Valle

New York City police officer Gilberto Valle was criminally charged in New York federal court in connection with his participation in chat rooms concerning fantasy role-playing fetish websites involving cannibalism. Valle was indicted for conspiring to kidnap and with violating the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act ("CFAA") for using...

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