Cloudflare<\/a> said Project Galileo currently provides free cybersecurity protection to more than 3,400 internet properties across over 130 countries. The initiative supports journalists, human rights advocates, independent media organizations, environmental groups, and humanitarian agencies.<\/p>\n\n\n\nAccording to the report, civil society organizations in every region and sector experienced cyberattacks during the reporting period. Cloudflare noted that geopolitical tensions, elections, civic unrest, and increasingly sophisticated cybercrime are contributing to a rapidly expanding attack surface.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
DDoS attacks emerged as the most common cyber threat, accounting for 81.7% of all malicious traffic targeting organizations protected under the program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Moreover, these attacks were notable for their duration. While most DDoS attacks mitigated by Cloudflare typically ended within minutes, many of the largest attacks against civil society organizations lasted significantly longer. Some continued for days or even weeks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One notable example involved Iraq-based digital rights organization Tech4Peace, which experienced an eight-day DDoS attack that generated 2.6 billion malicious traffic requests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The report also found that Cloudflare blocked a malicious request probing a media organization every seven seconds on average. Civil society organizations faced attempts to exploit website vulnerabilities at a rate more than seven times higher than other Cloudflare customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Media organizations and journalists were among the most heavily targeted groups. Although they represented 22.7% of the organizations protected, they accounted for 40.5% of all attacks recorded during the reporting period.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In addition, journalists operating in exile faced nearly four times more malicious traffic than journalism organizations overall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Cloudflare highlighted the case of elTOQUE, a Cuban media outlet operating in exile. In December 2025, the organization experienced a DDoS attack that it believes was intended to restrict access to a tracker comparing the Cuban peso with foreign currencies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Email-based threats also remained a major concern. Nearly 10% of all emails processed for civil society organizations contained potential phishing material.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Furthermore, the report found that traditional email authentication methods were often insufficient. Nearly one-third of emails containing malicious content bypassed standard authentication protocols but were detected through Cloudflare’s advanced phishing protection tools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The report also examined internet disruptions worldwide. Cloudflare identified 183 internet disruptions across its global network, with 85 of those publicly attributed to government action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Many of these restrictions coincided with elections, protests, and student examinations. Organizations in countries including Iran and Uganda reported that internet shutdowns hindered their ability to communicate with affected communities, document abuses, and share independent information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Commenting on the findings, Ercan Aydin, AVP, Middle East, T\u00fcrkiye and Africa at Cloudflare, said the region’s rapid digital transformation is increasing exposure to cyber threats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“The Middle East and Africa region continues to experience rapid digital transformation, but that progress also brings increased exposure to cyber threats,” said Aydin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He added that organizations supporting independent journalism, digital rights initiatives, humanitarian efforts, and public-interest causes are operating in increasingly complex threat environments. According to Aydin, access to enterprise-grade cybersecurity protections is essential for these organizations to continue serving communities, protecting information, and supporting social and economic development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The report also highlighted several examples from the Middle East, including sustained cyberattacks against Tech4Peace that coincided with high-profile publications and fact-checking activities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As cyber threats continue to evolve, Cloudflare said it remains committed to strengthening Project Galileo and helping civil society organizations build resilience against attacks designed to silence voices, disrupt services, and restrict access to information.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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