When journalists and activists are targeted by invasive spyware tools potentially wielded by state actors, one specialized organization often stands between them and digital oblivion: Access Now’s Digital Security Helpline. In a piece titled “Meet the Team That Investigates When Journalists and Activists Get Hacked with Government Spyware,” published by StartupNews.fyi, the spotlight is placed on this behind-the-scenes team of digital forensics experts and technologists who offer intensive support for victims of sophisticated surveillance.
Access Now, a nonprofit advocating for the digital rights of users at risk, operates its Digital Security Helpline around the clock. The service is particularly known for its nimbleness in responding to high-stakes incidents involving spyware such as Pegasus, the controversial software developed by Israeli firm NSO Group. While mainstream coverage often focuses on the political fallout of spyware use, the team profiled in StartupNews.fyi’s article reveals a lesser-seen dimension: the painstaking, technically complex, and emotionally sensitive work undertaken to restore security and confidence to targets of digital attacks.
According to the article, the team’s process begins when a victim—or someone on their behalf—suspects a device has been compromised. Access Now then launches a discreet investigation, collecting forensic evidence, analyzing device logs, and coordinating with international cybersecurity researchers. One of the principal challenges lies in balancing the security needs of the target with the operational secrecy required to avoid alerting potential perpetrators.
The article draws attention to how spyware investigations not only require technical acumen, but also a deep understanding of legal jurisdictions, risk mitigation for human rights defenders, and the psychological toll of surveillance. Team members described the burden of not only restoring functionality to compromised devices, but of working within communities already facing intimidation or repression.
While Access Now often collaborates with organizations like Amnesty International’s Security Lab and Citizen Lab at the University of Toronto, their Helpline remains unique for offering direct, emergency digital assistance. StartupNews.fyi notes that the organization receives over 2,000 requests each year, with many involving journalists, dissidents, and activists operating in high-risk regions.
This support is all the more critical as commercial spyware becomes more accessible and potent. The proliferation of zero-click exploits—where victims do not need to take any action to become infected—has raised alarms among cybersecurity experts and rights groups worldwide. Despite repeated calls for international regulation, spyware continues to function in a legal gray area, often marketed under the guise of aiding law enforcement but misused to suppress dissent.
The landscape is evolving, but for now, Access Now’s Digital Security Helpline continues to function as both a triage unit and a moral checkpoint in the digital battlefield. The StartupNews.fyi article provides a rare window into the inner workings of this essential operation, where the frontlines of press freedom and human rights are increasingly defined not by ink or protest, but by code and encryption.
