Ronald Deibert, director of the Citizen Lab, took extensive precautions in April 2025 to protect himself from surveillance, purchasing new devices upon arrival in Illinois after leaving his personal electronics in Toronto. Deibert's actions underscore the increasing threat of digital espionage, particularly for individuals and organizations involved in cybersecurity research and advocacy.

Deibert founded the Citizen Lab in 2001 at the University of Toronto. The organization operates as a counterintelligence service for civil society, investigating cyberthreats in the public interest. According to Deibert, he assumes he is constantly being watched, a reflection of the high stakes involved in exposing digital abuses.

The Citizen Lab has spent two decades investigating and exposing digital abuses. Their work has positioned them as a key player in identifying and analyzing sophisticated surveillance technologies and their use against civil society groups, journalists, and human rights defenders. Deibert noted a shift in perspective regarding the United States, which the Lab previously considered a standard for liberal democracy.

The Citizen Lab's investigations often involve reverse engineering malware, analyzing network traffic, and tracking the infrastructure used in targeted attacks. Their findings are used to inform policy debates, support legal challenges, and raise public awareness about the risks of digital surveillance. The organization publishes detailed reports on its website, providing technical analysis and recommendations for improving digital security.

The Citizen Lab continues its work in a landscape marked by increasingly sophisticated cyberthreats and the growing use of surveillance technologies by both state and non-state actors. Deibert's personal security measures highlight the challenges faced by those working to protect digital rights and security in an era of pervasive surveillance.