Counterintelligence for civil society

Investigating novel threats to democracy, human rights, and global security in the digital ecosystem.

We Say You Want a Revolution

PRISONBREAK – An AI-Enabled Influence Operation Aimed at Overthrowing the Iranian Regime

Disinformation

The control and strategic manipulation of information has long played a role in the geopolitical and ideological competition between the Islamic Republic of Iran and its political adversaries, including Israel. Prior Citizen Lab research has uncovered Iranian disinformation efforts, however, in this investigation we focus on the “other side” of the geopolitical competition. We analyzed an influence operation we assess as most likely undertaken by an entity of the Israeli government or a private subcontractor working closely with it.

October 14, 2025

Same Sea, New Phish

Russian Government-Linked Social Engineering Targets App-Specific Passwords

Targeted Surveillance

In May 2025, Keir Giles, a well-known expert on Russian military operations, was targeted with a highly sophisticated and personalized phishing attack. Using a method not previously observed by the Citizen Lab, the attacker posed as a U.S. State Department employee to convince Mr. Giles to create and send app-specific passwords for his email accounts, bypassing multi-factor authentication. Google spotted and blocked the attack, attributing it to a Russian state-backed operator.

June 18, 2025

Unspoken Implications

A Preliminary Analysis of Bill C-2 and Canada’s Potential Data-Sharing Obligations Towards the United States and Other Countries

Law & Policy

Our preliminary analysis of Bill C-2 situates the legislation within the context of existing research by the Citizen Lab about two potential data-sharing treaties that are most relevant to the new proposed powers being introduced in Bill C-2: the Second Additional Protocol to the Budapest Convention (2AP) and the CLOUD Act. Both of which carry significant constitutional and human rights risks.

June 16, 2025

Counterintelligence for civil society

Investigating novel threats to democracy, human rights, and global security in the digital ecosystem.

Counterintelligence for civil society

Investigating novel threats to democracy, human rights, and global security in the digital ecosystem.

We Say You Want a Revolution

PRISONBREAK – An AI-Enabled Influence Operation Aimed at Overthrowing the Iranian Regime

Disinformation

The control and strategic manipulation of information has long played a role in the geopolitical and ideological competition between the Islamic Republic of Iran and its political adversaries, including Israel. Prior Citizen Lab research has uncovered Iranian disinformation efforts, however, in this investigation we focus on the “other side” of the geopolitical competition. We analyzed an influence operation we assess as most likely undertaken by an entity of the Israeli government or a private subcontractor working closely with it.

October 14, 2025

Read the full report

Same Sea, New Phish

Russian Government-Linked Social Engineering Targets App-Specific Passwords

Targeted Surveillance

In May 2025, Keir Giles, a well-known expert on Russian military operations, was targeted with a highly sophisticated and personalized phishing attack. Using a method not previously observed by the Citizen Lab, the attacker posed as a U.S. State Department employee to convince Mr. Giles to create and send app-specific passwords for his email accounts, bypassing multi-factor authentication. Google spotted and blocked the attack, attributing it to a Russian state-backed operator.

June 18, 2025

Read the full report

Unspoken Implications

A Preliminary Analysis of Bill C-2 and Canada’s Potential Data-Sharing Obligations Towards the United States and Other Countries

Law & Policy

Our preliminary analysis of Bill C-2 situates the legislation within the context of existing research by the Citizen Lab about two potential data-sharing treaties that are most relevant to the new proposed powers being introduced in Bill C-2: the Second Additional Protocol to the Budapest Convention (2AP) and the CLOUD Act. Both of which carry significant constitutional and human rights risks.

June 16, 2025

Read the full report

The Citizen Lab is an interdisciplinary research unit at the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy, University of Toronto. We apply our collective expertise in the fields of law, computer science, cybersecurity, political science, and social sciences to investigate complex issues of the 21st century.

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Explore focus areas

App Security & Privacy
Artificial Intelligence
Censorship
Digital Transnational Repression
Disinformation
Law & Policy
Mass Surveillance
Targeted Surveillance

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Recent news

In the Media

The Right to Remember

Memorializing in Syria
CBC Ideas

Senior researcher Noura Aljizawi speaks with Nalah Ayed from CBC Ideas about her personal experience of returning to Syria to grieve for the first time in 13 years following the fall of the al-Assad regime.  Aljizawi recalls how grieving publicly was not allowed in the wake of the 2011 revolution, despite the importance of collective […]

January 20, 2026
In the Media

London PR Firm Rewrites Wikipedia for Governments and Billionaires

The Bureau of Investigative Journalism

A recent story by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism reveals that a communications firm in London paid an editor to launder Wikipedia pages for high-profile clients.  Senior researcher Alberto Fittarelli speaks with the Bureau, explaining that “influence operators are attracted to Wikipedia because it is a means of shaping perceptions in large populations.” Blatant changes […]

January 19, 2026
Disinformation
Opportunity

Job Posting

Citizen Lab Research Officer in the Area of Spyware and Digital Targeted Threats 

The Citizen Lab is now accepting applications for the position of Research Officer in the Area of Spyware and Digital Threats. Under the supervision of the senior legal advisor, the research officer will assist with building case databases, implement training workshops, and conduct legal research on methods used in digital accountability research as well as […]

January 19, 2026
Targeted Surveillance
Testimony

Hearing on the Human Rights Policy of the German Government

On January 14, Citizen Lab senior researcher Marcus Michaelsen testified on transnational repression in a hearing of the Human Rights Committee in the German parliament (Bundestag).  In a submission to the committee, Michaelsen highlights how transnational repression increasingly affects people in exile and diaspora communities in democratic countries like Germany, undermining their human rights and […]

January 15, 2026
Digital Transnational Repression
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