The Citizen Lab - University of Toronto

The Citizen Lab is an interdisciplinary laboratory based at the Munk School of Global Affairs, University of Toronto, Canada focusing on advanced research and development at the intersection of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), human rights, and global security. Learn more »

In Focus

WUP! There It Is: Privacy and Security Issues in QQ Browser

This report describes privacy and security issues with the Windows and Android versions of QQ Browser. Our research shows that both versions of the application transmit personally identifiable data without encryption or with easily decrypted encryption, and do not adequately protect the software update process.

Shifting Tactics: Tracking changes in years-long espionage campaign against Tibetans

This report describes the latest iteration in a long-running espionage campaign against the Tibetan community. We describe how the attackers continuously adapt their campaigns to their targets, shifting tactics from document-based malware to conventional phishing

2016 Citizen Lab Fellowship Opportunities

In 2016, we have three exciting fellowship programs open for applications that provide the opportunity for students, researchers, and software developers to spend from three months to up to one year at the Citizen Lab.

Research News

Every Step You Fake: Final Report released

Citizen Lab research partner Open Effect today announced the release of the full report detailing our year-long research collaboration into the privacy and security of wearable fitness tracking devices.

研究发现百度浏览器存在安全与隐私问题

多伦多大学公民实验室的最新报告揭露了百度浏览器存在的多处隐私与安全问题。百度浏览器是基于中国的一款移动浏览器，拥有数百万的用户，而报告反映的隐私与安全问题很可能会至用户的沟通于风险中。

여전히 위험에 처해있는 아이들: 시티즌랩의 스마트보안관 보고서 “우리의 아이들은 안전한가”에 대한 업데이트

두 번째 스마트보안관 감사에서 해당 앱의 자녀용과 부모용을 사용하는 이용자들을 심각한 위험에 노출시키는 취약점이 무수히 해결되지 않은 채 남아있음이 확인되었다.

Beyond Privacy: Articulating the Broader Harms of Pervasive Mass Surveillance

Citizen Lab Postdoctoral Fellow Christopher Parsons published a paper titled “Beyond Privacy: Articulating the Broader Harms of Pervasive Mass Surveillance” in Media and Communication. The paper explores how dominant theories of privacy grapple with the pervasive mass surveillance activities undertaken by western signals intelligence activities, including those of the NSA, CSE, GCHQ, GCSB, and ASD.

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Lab News

Christopher Parsons on RCMP’s mobile investigation tool

March 26, 2016 – 2:38 pm

Court documents provided in a case before the Quebec Court of Appeal indicate that the RCMP used advanced technology to spy on mobile phones in a criminal investigation on organized crime. Citizen Lab Postdoctoral Fellow Christopher Parsons spoke to the Globe and Mail about the case.

Washington Post cites Ron Deibert’s “Cyberspace under Siege”

March 26, 2016 – 2:26 pm

The Washington Post (WP) cited Citizen Lab Director Ron Deibert’s article in the Journal of Democracy, entitled “Cyberspace Under Siege.”

Privacy International report cites Citizen Lab research

March 3, 2016 – 12:32 pm

Privacy International (PI) latest report, entitled “The President’s Men?,” explores the role of Egypt’s Technical Research Department (TRD), a secret unit in the country’s intelligence infrastructure. In the report, PI cite Citizen Lab research on FinFisher and Hacking Team.

Christopher Parsons and Morgan Marquis-Boire on Apple’s encryption battle

March 2, 2016 – 12:48 pm

Apple CEO Tim Cook recently announced that the company would battle a court order requiring it to turn over information stored on an iPhone belonging to one of the San Bernardino shooters to the FBI. Christopher Parsons and Morgan Marquis-Boire outline the possibility that the creation of a backdoor would be used as a precedent for future cases.

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