CRII: SaTC: Improving Computer Security Technologies through Analyzing Security Needs and Practices of Journalists

数字通信技术的进步及其近几十年来的扩散对新闻业产生了显著影响。这些技术的安全漏洞使记者及其消息来源面临越来越大的风险，阻碍了调查性报道、透明度和举报的努力。因为他们愿意成为早期采用者，并公开交流他们的问题，记者提供了一个机会，以确定安全问题和要求在新的沟通方法。该项目将研究当前的计算机安全心理模型和记者及其消息来源的做法，并最终设计技术以更好地满足他们的需求。由此产生的工具将作为开放资源发布，并用于直接造福记者及其消息来源以及其他技术用户，最终有助于保护和改善国内和国际的言论和新闻自由。记者（和一般用户）沟通和存储敏感信息的漏洞是由几个因素造成的，包括现有工具的可用性问题，心智模型与他们使用的工具的实际安全属性之间的不匹配，以及可用工具的技术差距。为了评估和解决这些问题，本项目将分两个阶段进行：第一阶段，通过深入采访和大规模调查研究记者的当前做法；第二阶段，设计新技术，以更好地满足他们的计算机安全需求。第二阶段将利用第一阶段的发现为技术研究提供信息，包括为利用现有计算机安全技术的记者开发更可用的工具，以及在必要时开发新的计算机安全技术（例如，协议或系统）。例如，该项目将考虑诸如保护通信元数据和在第一次接触时启动安全通信等技术挑战。欲了解更多信息，请参阅该项目的网站：https://journosec.cs.washington.edu

Advances in digital communication technologies, and their proliferation in recent decades, have had a remarkable impact on journalism. Security weaknesses in these technologies have put journalists and their sources increasingly at risk, hindering efforts at investigative reporting, transparency, and whistleblowing. Because of their willingness to be early adopters, and to openly communicate their issues, journalists provide an opportunity to identify security issues and requirements in new communication methods. This project will study the current computer security mental models and practices of journalists and their sources, and to ultimately design technology to better meet their needs. The resulting tools will be released as open source and deployed to directly benefit journalists and their sources, as well as other users of technology, ultimately helping to protect and improve freedoms of speech and of the press both nationally and internationally.The vulnerabilities in how journalists (and users in general) communicate and store sensitive information result from several factors, including usability problems with existing tools, a mismatch between mental models and the real security properties of the tools they use, and technological gaps in the tools available. To evaluate and address these issues, this project will proceed in two phases: first, studying the current practices of journalists via in-depth interviews and large-scale surveys, and second, designing new technologies to better meet their computer security needs. The second phase will leverage findings from the first phase to inform technical research, including the development of more usable tools for journalists leveraging existing computer security techniques, as well as the development of new computer security technologies (e.g., protocols or systems) where necessary. For example, this project will consider technical challenges such as protecting the metadata of communications and bootstrapping secure communications at first contact.For further information, see the project web site at: https://journosec.cs.washington.edu