CyberPeace Builders FAQ

CyberPeace Builders FAQ

What the CyberPeace Builders do and don’t do

The CyberPeace Builders is a network of corporate volunteers from local and international companies, supported by regional advisors and experts who are staff of the CyberPeace Institute. Our network helps humanitarian NGOs active in services for health, food, water, energy, finance, transport and information by providing them with pre-incident, post-incident and support services. We do not provide incident response or support to individuals but we will refer you to organizations who may be able to provide such support.

For NGOs

It’s an opportunity to improve your NGOs cybersecurity by getting free access to industry-standard  expertise to guide your decision-making. The program also allows you to upskill your staff, understand better cybersecurity risks and your threat profile and take control by benefiting from concrete, actionable cybersecurity services that will improve the security capabilities of your NGO.

We want to include you in our vibrant community. In the CyberPeace Builders community you will be an active member of a local cybersecurity ecosystem to get help when you need it and to help others facing similar challenges. It’s a community for NGOs to exchange together to build collective resilience.

One of the key elements behind cybersecurity is trust. The trust of staff and volunteers that the NGO is investing in cybersecurity to remain operational to serve its beneficiaries. The trust your beneficiaries get by knowing you’re able to secure their data in the long run, and they can rely on the provision of services. The trust you provide to your donors who are increasingly concerned about cyber threats by demonstrating you’re aware of the risks and have taken action, that you have exercised due care and have taken precautions to secure your NGO against cyberthreats.

In the end, you build trust in the physical world, it’s just as important to ensure this in the digital world.

Yes! All services provided by the CyberPeace Builders are completely free of charge. On top of that the CyberPeace Builders can help you prioritize your technological investments to make the most of your operational budget.

We are an NGO. We seek donations to support the CyberPeace Builders work both from philanthropic organizations and private companies.

Humanitarian non-governmental organizations (NGOs) can potentially benefit from the CyberPeace Builders program. Eligibility is determined by status and the focus of the work, as follows: 

  • the NGO must be recognized – in the country where the support is to be provided – as a non-profit or charitable entity, voluntary group or institution with a social mission, which operates independently from the government, (although they may be a recipient of government funds);  
  • the NGO must be providing critical services to populations and vulnerable communities, such as healthcare, water treatment and sanitation, food provision, energy supply, education, information and peace building.

The NGO can be based in any country, working at a national, regional or international level. 

If you think that your NGO could be eligible for support from the CyberPeace Builders program, please contact the team who will assess if you meet the criteria.   

Guided by its principle of neutrality, the CyberPeace Institute supports the stability and security of cyberspace rather than the interests of individual actors.  As such, it complies with applicable legal frameworks and does not discriminate against cyberattack victims based on their geographic location, philosophical, political or religious beliefs, nationality, race, social status, gender and sexual identity, or disabilities. 

The CyberPeace Institute does its best to match the most appropriate partner/volunteer to the NGO in need of support.  In the event that there is an incompatibility between the NGO and a partner/volunteer from the CyberPeace Builders, from either perspective,  the CyberPeace Institute staff will ensure to find another match.

Learn more about the CyberPeace Builders and book an info session.

You can also get in touch with us by emailing [email protected] and our team will follow up with you. Your email will come directly to the CyberPeace Builders team and we will contact you by email to set up a first call.

For Volunteers

To help NGOs around the world: NGOs active in services for health, food, water, energy, finance, transport and information need support and expertise to help them strengthen their cybersecurity capabilities.

These NGOs provide critical services to communities and bridge areas not covered by public and private actors, but they lack the resources to protect themselves from cybersecurity threats.

Builders are asked to volunteer about 40 hours a year.  

Builders activities are broken down into small tasks of a few hours maximum.

Builders select the units of work they can do depending on their availability and skills.

Builders use available resources such as online tools and pre-existing materials that can be applied to different cybersecurity needs and to deliver services.

The CyberPeace Builders target employees of local SMEs and large companies.

Volunteers must have one year of experience in cyber- and information security.  We also have volunteers with a marketing and legal background as these skills are required to support the NGOs cybersecurity needs. English language skills are required. 

The volunteer must sign and commit to the CyberPeace Builders Code of Conduct.

It’s really easy! Contact us at [email protected] and we’ll get back to you in no time!

Showcasing Our Work

"At DNDi we value the trusted relationship with the CyberPeace Institute and their commitment to help us find adequate solutions to our cyber security challenges, in particular to protect the data of our beneficiaries."
Pascal Carpentier
Head of Information Systems and Technology at Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi)

If you are interested in supporting the CyberPeace Builders or in receiving this support, please contact us at [email protected].