⏱ 1 min read
Background
NGOs face automated cyberattacks, from ransomware to leak campaigns, while their funding declines. Geneva-based Protect.ngo monitors these threats and helps organisations defend themselves.
The key points
More than 50 NGO representatives, including Trial International and Terre des Hommes, signed an open letter urging governments and donors to strengthen the sector's resilience. Stéphane Duguin, head of Protect.ngo, is among the signatories.
In an interview with Geneva Solutions, he says AI is accelerating threats by increasing the speed, scale and reach of attacks.
Key figures
- Attacks recorded by Protect.ngo since November 2018: 1,050.
- Organisations affected worldwide: more than 900.
- Signatories of the open letter: more than 50 NGO representatives.
- Share of project budgets allocated to overheads: 7 to 20%.
What it means for businesses
According to Stéphane Duguin, NGOs live below the "cyber poverty line". The share of overheads granted by donors does not allow them to fund a digital resilience strategy.
Who says what
The letter refers to a 6-to-12-month window before advanced AI models, such as Anthropic's Mythos, become available to the public at low cost. Stéphane Duguin believes funding for Geneva's civil society has been destroyed at unprecedented levels.
