This article outlines Activism Hub’s approach to holistic security, rooted in the belief that safety begins with the activist, not the cause. We challenge the norm of self-sacrifice, move away from “security by obscurity,” and emphasise security principles. Grounded in transparency, context, and care, our method integrates physical, digital, and emotional dimensions of security.
Security begins with the self
A foundational element of our approach is the conviction that security must begin with the activist. Too often, activists are socialised to prioritise others: the communities they defend, the issues they fight for, or the crises they respond to. In this process, their own needs are sidelined. But this outward-facing posture is not sustainable. When defenders are harmed, their capacity to act for others is diminished or lost entirely.
We challenge the prevalent culture of self-sacrifice within activism. Self-protection is not a sign of ego or detachment, it is a strategic necessity. If activists do not survive the work, the work itself cannot endure. A sustainable movement requires resilient individuals at its core.
Rethinking security by obscurity
A common but deeply flawed assumption among grassroots actors is that the best way to stay safe is to remain invisible. Many activists operate in isolation, without formal protection, institutional backing, or robust infrastructure. In such environments, the tendency is to default to “security by obscurity”, a fragile strategy that relies on remaining hidden from potential adversaries.
We believe that relying solely on secrecy is not only inadequate but potentially dangerous. Security built entirely on obscurity is fragile. One leaked message, lost device, or moment of human error can unravel the system. While selective obscurity has its place, especially in high-risk environments, it must be part of a broader, principled design, not the foundation. Secrecy may offer a false sense of safety, but in reality, it leaves activists more vulnerable.
We advocate for security by design, where systems remain resilient even when their mechanics are known, except for essential confidential elements. This philosophy aligns with Kerckhoffs’s Principle in cryptography: a system should stay secure even if everything about it is public, aside from the secret key. In practice, this means using open-source tools, collective protocols, and transparent methods that are robust not because they are hidden, but because they are well-structured, accountable, and adaptable.
A balanced approach, combining smart discretion with principled transparency, is key to long-term safety and sustainability.
Social engineering: the human factor
Technical breaches, including hacking, spyware, device compromise, draw much attention in the security discourse. However, the most common form of infiltration faced by activists is social engineering: the exploitation of trust, relationship dynamics, and human error.
This is why we insist on seeing security as fundamentally social before it is technical. Technology can support safe activism, but it cannot replace sound judgment, clear communication, and healthy boundaries. Many of the most harmful incidents we’ve seen stem not from high-tech attacks, but from gossip, manipulation, carelessness, or intra-group conflict.
As such, our training focuses not only on tools and protocols, but on interpersonal awareness. We ask:
– Who has access to sensitive data?
– What assumptions do we make about trust?
– How are decisions made, and by whom?
– What unspoken power dynamics are at play?
Security cannot be outsourced to a digital system. It must be cultivated as a collective culture, embedded in how teams function and relate to one another.
Principles over tips
In a fast-moving digital world, activists are often overwhelmed by the ever-changing landscape of tools and threats. While tips and toolkits are useful, we do not see them as the foundation of secure practice. Principles must come first.
Principles allow activists to adapt as technologies evolve, as threats shift, and as their own capacities change. We focus on questions like:
- Do we really need to share this information?
- Do we really need to know such information?
- What information truly needs to be protected?
- Who are the real adversaries, and what do they want?
- What is the ethical cost of a given action?
By focusing on reasoning rather than just technique, we enable activists to make informed choices, rather than dependent ones.
Activism Hub work
Our approach builds on established security models, such as Tactical Tech’s holistic security framework and the CIA Triad (Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability), while adapting them to the lived realities of our region. We integrate psycho-social well-being, ethical communication, and community accountability into every aspect of security planning. We offer a principle-driven, context-specific approach to staying safe, grounded, and sustained in the long struggle for justice.