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AI summary of Galperin's work
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galperin-achievements.md

generated by Perplexity Pro, 2025-04-05

Summarize in detail, with dates, the good work that Eva Galperin (aka "evacide") has done in the digital liberties and privacy space

Eva Galperin, also known as "evacide," has made significant contributions to the fields of digital privacy, cybersecurity, and digital liberties, particularly through her work at the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) and other initiatives. Below is a detailed summary of her key accomplishments, organized by dates and themes:

Early Career and Joining EFF (2007)

  • Eva Galperin began her career at the EFF in 2007 after working in IT and security roles in Silicon Valley. She brought a unique combination of technical expertise and a background in political science and international relations from San Francisco State University12.

Advocacy for Vulnerable Populations

  • Throughout her career, Galperin has focused on protecting vulnerable groups such as journalists, activists, and survivors of domestic abuse. She has conducted privacy and security training globally and published research on malware targeting these populations in countries like Syria, Vietnam, Lebanon, and Kazakhstan32.

Landmark Contributions to Anti-Stalkerware Efforts (2018–2025)

2018: Eradicating Stalkerware

  • In 2018, Galperin shifted her focus to combating stalkerware—spyware used for domestic abuse. She began working directly with victims and advocating for systemic changes in the tech industry14.

2019: Founding the Coalition Against Stalkerware

  • Galperin co-founded the Coalition Against Stalkerware in 2019. This international initiative brought together cybersecurity vendors, academic researchers, domestic violence organizations, and digital rights groups to combat tech-enabled abuse56.
  • She also delivered a widely viewed TED talk on stalkerware that raised global awareness about this issue5.

April 2019: Influencing Antivirus Policies

  • Galperin convinced Kaspersky Lab to explicitly detect and alert users about stalkerware on Android devices. This move set a precedent that pressured other cybersecurity companies to follow suit17.

Ongoing Advocacy

  • She has continued to call for stronger legal actions against stalkerware companies, urging state and federal officials to prosecute executives involved in developing or selling these tools under hacking laws76.
  • By 2021, her efforts had led several major antivirus companies to change their policies regarding stalkerware detection4.

Broader Cybersecurity Contributions

EFF Threat Lab Leadership

  • As head of EFF’s Threat Lab, Galperin has researched various surveillance technologies, including spyware used by authoritarian regimes. Her work has highlighted how these tools disproportionately target marginalized groups89.

Surveillance Self-Defense Toolkit

  • She contributed to creating educational resources like the Surveillance Self-Defense guide and the Digital First Aid Kit, which help individuals protect their privacy online32.

Campaigns Against Internet Censorship

  • Early in her career at EFF, she worked on campaigns against censorship in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region and contributed to efforts like the SOPA/PIPA campaign10.

Recognition as a Leader in Digital Liberties

Advocacy for Inclusive Tech Design

  • Galperin has emphasized the importance of designing technology that works for underrepresented groups. She advocates for holding companies accountable when their products fail to protect vulnerable populations8.

APT Research

  • Her research into advanced persistent threats (APTs) has exposed state-sponsored malware campaigns. For example, she uncovered spyware targeting activists and journalists in Vietnam and Syria9.

Recent Work (2023–2025)

  • As of 2025, Galperin continues her leadership at EFF as Director of Cybersecurity. Her ongoing work includes addressing tech-enabled abuse, advocating for stronger privacy protections globally, and teaching security practices at events like SecAppDev 202513.
  • The Coalition Against Stalkerware now includes over 40 partner organizations worldwide5.

Impact Summary

Eva Galperin's work has reshaped how industries address spyware and surveillance technologies. Through her advocacy and technical expertise:

  • She has empowered survivors of domestic abuse by raising awareness about stalkerware.
  • She has influenced policy changes within the antivirus industry.
  • She has contributed significantly to protecting activists and journalists from state-sponsored surveillance.

Her efforts exemplify a multidisciplinary approach to tackling complex digital privacy issues.

⁂

Footnotes

  1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eva_Galperin ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4

  2. https://www.eff.org/about/staff/eva-galperin ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  3. https://secappdev.org/2025/speakers/evagalperin/ ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  4. https://magazine.sfsu.edu/archive/fall-2019/class-notes.html ↩ ↩2

  5. https://www.securemac.com/interviews/eva-galperin-on-fighting-tech-enabled-abuse ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  6. https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2021/11/coalition-against-stalkerware-celebrates-two-years-work-keep-technology-safe-all ↩ ↩2

  7. https://shop.winpro.com.sg/blogs/news/what-you-need-to-know-about-stalkerware-eva-galperin ↩ ↩2

  8. https://www.scworld.com/news/eva-galperin-teaching-of-tech-mistakes-of-the-past ↩ ↩2

  9. https://blog.detectify.com/industry-insights/meet-a-hacker-hero-eva-galperin/ ↩ ↩2

  10. https://www.vice.com/en/article/the-effs-eva-galperin-keeps-activists-safe-online/ ↩

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