We recently launched a new website for Toronto Crime Stoppers to inform the public about their initiatives and supplementing their anonymous tip platforms with a new, highly-secure reporting channel: SecureDrop.
Toronto Crime Stoppers recognizes that whistleblowing is vital to holding powerful institutions accountable; something the entire world learned in 2013 when Edward Snowden leaked highly-classified information from the National Security Agency. Regardless of whether they are in the private sector, government or working on the fringe, when cyber tipsters learn of behaviour involving powerful organizations with far-reaching resources which is illegal or damaging to the public interest, they need to know even the savviest internet security teams will not be able to identify them as the source. Toronto Crime Stoppers wanted to provide these people with a means to communicate these incredibly sensitive cyber tips anonymously. Enter SecureDrop.
TORONTO CRIME STOPPER’S Secure Drop SERVER
If you wish to communicate with Toronto Crime Stoppers in the most secure and anonymous manner available, we encourage you to use Toronto Crime Stopper’s SecureDrop anonymous tip platform when we launch it in February 2019.
The Toronto Crime Stopper’s SecureDrop server will allow you to send messages or sensitive materials and communicate with Toronto Crime Stoppers without any third party being able to determine your communication’s content or metadata – i.e. who is sending and receiving messages and the timing of those exchanges.
HOW TO USE SECUREDROP
Step One – Access Public Wi-Fi
Begin by bringing you laptop to a Wi-Fi network that is not associated with you or employer in anyway.
Step-Two – Download the Tor Browser
Tor allows you to go online while concealing your IP address from the websites you visit.
Step Three – Access Toronto Crime Stoppers SecureDrop Server
Once you have installed the Tor Browser, access Toronto Crime Stopper’s SecureDrop server by going to the url we shall provide you in February 2019.
Step Four – Remember Your Code Name
Once you have accessed Toronto Crime Stopper’s SecureDrop server sending your information is simple, but do not forget your seven-word code name! Indeed, you will receive this message when it is provided to you
Because we do not track users of our SecureDrop service, in future visits, using this code name will be the only way we have to communicate with you should we have questions or are interested in additional information. Unlike passwords, there is no way to retrieve a lost code name.
Step Five – Submit Your Tip
Once you receive your password and can access Toronto Crime Stoppers’ servers, submitting and receiving communications is simple. You can also submit any kind of message or file through SecureDrop.
CLOSING REMARKS
Whether you are a whistleblower for a powerful organization or wish to help Toronto Crime Stoppers in its fight against cybercrime, please use cyber tips through Secure Drop at Toronto Crime Stoppers. Cybercrime is everywhere and cybercriminals do not discriminate; they target computer systems everywhere including governments, large corporations, small business and home users. Help Toronto Crime Stoppers make the internet safer for all of us.
It’s great to see Toronto Crime Stoppers getting themselves into the 21st century! Technology like this is the way of the future!