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- Surfshark is now a supporting partner of Amnesty International’s Digital Forensics Fellowship (DFF)
- The DFF trains human rights defenders to securely analyze Android and iOS devices for sophisticated spyware and digital threats
- The partnership aims to equip at-risk communities worldwide with the skills needed to investigate and respond to rising global surveillance
As the threat of state-sponsored spyware and digital tracking continues to escalate, one of the best VPN providers on the market is supporting efforts to protect the world's most vulnerable internet users.
Surfshark has officially announced it has become a supporting partner of Amnesty International’s Digital Forensics Fellowship (DFF). Run by Amnesty International’s Security Lab, the DFF is a highly specialized training program designed to teach human rights defenders how to conduct advanced mobile device analysis.
For the everyday user, a virtual private network acts as a shield against casual snooping and data harvesting. However, for journalists, activists, and civil society organizations, the threats are often more targeted and sophisticated.
According to Surfshark's announcement, this partnership is geared toward equipping these individuals with hands-on skills in threat research, malware traffic analysis, and device forensics.
Ultimately, this initiative matters because it helps decentralize digital security. By teaching regional activists how to detect digital surveillance on their devices, Amnesty and Surfshark are helping to build a global network of experts capable of exposing human rights abuses without relying entirely on Western tech hubs for forensic analysis.
Frontline digital defenders
The DFF was born out of necessity following explosive revelations about global surveillance. Instead of just teaching theoretical cybersecurity, the program provides practical, hands-on experience in analyzing both Android and iOS environments.
Speaking to Surfshark, Molly Cyr, the Training and Community Engagement Lead for the Security Lab at Amnesty International, explained the program's origins: “The Digital Forensics Fellowship, or DFF, is a training program geared toward upskilling human rights defender-technologists in mobile device forensics.”
She added: “After the Pegasus Project, the DFF emerged in response to the growing number of civil society organizations seeking to protect themselves from advanced attacks made possible by spyware.”
Digital forensics and rising threats
A key pillar of the fellowship is its reliance on "consensual" forensics. This means that the analysis is only conducted with the informed consent of the individual or organization that has been targeted, putting the victims back in the driver's seat.
“Our team is focused on consensual mobile device forensics, which refers to analysis and research that is done with a person or an organization," Cyr told Surfshark. This model allows those targeted by highly sophisticated tools to understand exactly what compromised their devices, empowering them to decide on the best course of action.
This work is becoming increasingly critical. Activists are no longer just facing physical risks; they are battling an invisible, rapidly evolving digital frontline. As Cyr noted: “Technologies for digital surveillance are being rapidly developed and deployed, and used in conjunction with other tools and tactics to monitor people and movements in innovative ways.”
Why a VPN company is backing forensic research
While Surfshark is best known for its consumer VPN and antivirus products, the company does not build or sell digital forensics tools. However, the provider views the partnership as a necessary step in securing the broader digital ecosystem.
“That vision isn't limited to our products — it's about the broader ecosystem of digital safety and privacy," Dovydas Godelis, CEO at Surfshark, stated in the company's blog post. "While we help people stay safer online through accessible security solutions, the DFF addresses a different but equally critical piece of the puzzle: building the expertise needed to investigate and respond when digital rights are violated.”
The reality is that securing the most at-risk internet users eventually benefits the everyday consumer. When organizations research and expose sophisticated campaigns targeting activists, it forces the broader tech industry to adopt higher security standards, increasing awareness and accountability for everyone online.
