Journalists are some of the people that keep our world going right. With the way that they stick their necks out to break stories and bring them to the public, they are one of our most unsung heroes. With the internet, it is now easier for journalists to get the message out there faster and to a broader audience. However, they are also at risk of cyber threats that could put a dent in their career. In this piece, we discuss how that could happen – and what to do to ensure you don’t find yourself in such shoes. We bet this is not the first time that you are hearing about people paying for a story to be killed off. If they can do that, best believe that these people will also stop at nothing else to ensure that your story does not see the light of day. This can be done by breaking into your computer to delete/ manipulate your story alongside all pieces of evidence that you must have gathered along the line. Journalists also have an ethical and moral obligation to protect their sources. This is something that is ingrained into every journalist right from the time when they were being trained. Sadly, being a victim to a hack could reveal more than just the stories that you are working on, but your sources too. Depending on how in-deep your sources are, that could lead to the loss of their jobs and even lives. By extension, you lose an insider and at the same time robbing the world of the truth in yet another corner that way. That said, journalists are also at the risk of getting incriminating documents/ files planted on their devices in the case of a hack. That is usually the best way to discredit such a journalist – especially when they are on the cusp of a significant reveal. These are just some of the many woes that could betide a journalist if they ever get in the crosshairs of a cyber-attack. Fortunately, you don’t have to wait for this to happen before taking action. We will never advocate that journalists share files or receive them from their sources with conventional file-sharing options. Instead, they could go for services like OnionShare and SecureDrop, which bring a higher level of security and anonymity to the table. Nothing ever links back to anyone – and being on the Tor network means that the data is encrypted. Likewise, you should never subscribe to the use of a public Wi-Fi network for anything. Noting how much of a potential data bank you are, you don’t want to be caught with a malware attack, man-in-the-middle attempt, or even be a victim of data snooping. While working from home or anywhere else, it would not hurt to use a VPN that ensures secure connection either. Besides encrypting your network, they also make it impossible for you to be deanonymized and tracked around the web when executing your duties. When undercover, a VPN could even be the difference between you keeping an intact cover or having it blown. That said, always ensure to use the best password habits on all of your accounts. Download a password generator to get some of the most robust passwords out there. You can pair that with a password manager to help you store all the unique passwords you have created. In line with the passwords, get two-factor authentication running for the accounts that allow such. That way, you have an extra layer of security around your accounts than just a password would provide. Finally, be on the lookout for unsolicited links and documents sent to you. Even if they look like the juiciest of leaks/ tips, check them with an antivirus scanner before opening at all. This puts you out of the range of phishing attacks too. Jack Warner is an accomplished cybersecurity expert with years of experience under his belt at TechWarn, a trusted digital agency to world-class cybersecurity companies. A passionate digital safety advocate himself, Jack frequently contributes to tech blogs and digital media sharing expert insights on topics such as whistleblowing and cybersecurity tools.