Ronald Deibert, director of the Citizen Lab, took precautions in April 2025 to minimize surveillance risks while traveling for work, purchasing new, untainted devices upon arrival in Illinois. Deibert's actions underscore the increasing concerns about digital espionage and the work of the Citizen Lab, a research center dedicated to investigating cyber threats in the public interest.

Deibert, who founded the Citizen Lab in 2001, operates the center as a counterintelligence service for civil society. "I'm traveling under the assumption that I am being watched, right down to exactly where I am at any moment," Deibert stated, highlighting the seriousness of the threats he and his organization investigate. The Citizen Lab, housed at the University of Toronto, maintains independence from government and corporate influence, funding its research through grants and private donations.

The lab has gained prominence for exposing significant digital abuses over the past two decades. Their work involves analyzing malware, investigating surveillance campaigns, and uncovering the actors behind them. This often requires reverse engineering complex software and tracing network traffic to identify vulnerabilities and expose the entities exploiting them. The Citizen Lab's investigations have revealed the use of sophisticated spyware, such as Pegasus, developed by the Israeli firm NSO Group, to target journalists, human rights activists, and political dissidents globally. These tools can compromise smartphones, granting attackers access to messages, emails, photos, and even the ability to activate the device's camera and microphone.

The Citizen Lab's research has had a significant impact on the tech industry, prompting companies like Apple and Google to enhance their security measures. After Citizen Lab exposed vulnerabilities in iOS, Apple released security updates to patch the flaws and protect users from potential exploits. Similarly, Google has collaborated with the Citizen Lab to investigate and mitigate threats to Android devices.

Deibert notes a shift in his perception of democratic norms, particularly in the United States. "For many years, Deibert and his colleagues have held up the US as the standard for liberal democracy. But that's changing," he says. "The pillars of democracy are under assault in the United States." This perspective highlights the growing concern that even established democracies are vulnerable to digital threats and require constant vigilance to protect civil liberties.

The Citizen Lab continues its work, focusing on emerging threats and evolving surveillance techniques. Their ongoing investigations aim to shed light on the actors involved in digital espionage and to provide civil society organizations with the information they need to defend themselves against cyberattacks. The lab's future research will likely focus on the increasing use of artificial intelligence in surveillance and the potential for AI-powered tools to be used for malicious purposes.