At Yubico, our Secure it Forward program starts from a simple idea: strong security and the ability to protect your digital identity should be accessible to the people who need it most – especially those working in high-risk environments to protect truth, accountability and public information.
Last month, Secure it Forward was honored with a Silver award in the Technology for Good category at the 2026 Halo Awards, presented by Engage for Good.
Widely regarded as a leading recognition for corporate social responsibility programs, the Halo Awards celebrate partnerships that deliver measurable impact in communities around the world. The Technology for Good category recognizes initiatives that use innovation to address social challenges and extend the reach of nonprofit work.
For Secure it Forward, this recognition reflects a core principle: security is most effective when it is not only available, but accessible in practice – through trusted partnerships that connect technology with the people and environments where it is needed most.
Partner Spotlight: Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty
One example is our partnership with Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), an independent news organization that has provided trusted reporting in regions where press freedom is under threat for more than 75 years. RFE/RL reports across 22 countries in 26 languages, reaching audiences in places where access to unbiased information is often restricted. That mission makes its journalists frequent targets of surveillance, censorship and cyberattacks.
“RFE/RL’s mission makes us a target because our purpose is to foster open debate and access to unbiased information,” said Carter Boone, News Product Manager for Safety at RFE/RL. “That makes us a threat to authoritarian regimes.”
For years, RFE/RL has faced constant cyberattacks, with more than 90% involving phishing attempts. Through Secure it Forward, RFE/RL received YubiKeys to help journalists adopt phishing-resistant, hardware-backed authentication across both work and personal accounts.
“The YubiKey has the benefit of being something physical,” Boone said. “If you have a YubiKey, somebody needs to physically take that key from you. That’s a much greater barrier to entry.”
For journalists working in high-risk environments, that added protection offers meaningful peace of mind.
“I feel safer with YubiKeys,” said Ajla Obradović, Digital Media Editor for RFE/RL’s Balkan Service. “Correspondence with colleagues, the stories we’re working on, our sources—everything is protected. It gives you the freedom to focus on your work.”
Today, YubiKeys help secure both RFE/RL’s internal systems and the personal accounts their journalists rely on to communicate with sources and share reporting. RFE/RL also provides YubiKeys directly to journalists and smaller newsrooms it supports, incorporating them into digital security training for teams operating in some of the world’s most challenging environments.
This partnership shows what is possible when strong security is paired with trusted implementation: journalists can work more safely, sources are better protected and independent reporting can continue with greater confidence.
Yubico will continue expanding its Secure It Forward program through partnerships with organizations like RFE/RL, helping make phishing-resistant hardware-backed authentication more accessible to journalists, human rights defenders and civil society organizations worldwide.
Ultimately, this work is not just about securing accounts. It is about enabling people to continue their work safely, independently and without interruption – even in the most challenging environments.
If you’re interested in learning more about Secure it Forward or exploring partnership opportunities with Yubico, visit: https://www.yubico.com/why-yubico/secure-it-forward/
