The Cyber Security Authority (CSA) has urged media organisations to make cybersecurity an integral part of their newsroom operations, warning that cyber threats can undermine both journalistic credibility and institutional security.
The Authority made the call at the close of a two-day workshop for editors, publishers and journalists on national security, cybercrime, information warfare, ethics and press freedom.
The CSA said the growing sophistication of cyber threats required newsrooms to treat digital security as a core professional responsibility.
“For this reason, cybersecurity must become part of editorial culture,” the Authority said.
It explained that journalists and newsrooms were increasingly exposed to threats including impersonation, compromised accounts, manipulated images, synthetic audio and coordinated disinformation.
“Journalists and newsrooms are both targets and potential force multipliers,” it noted, adding that a compromised journalist’s account could give attackers access to more than just data.
“When a journalist’s account is compromised, the attacker gains access not only to data but also to credibility and an audience.”
The Authority urged newsrooms to adopt basic safeguards, including strong and unique passwords, multi-factor authentication, prompt software updates, secure backups and clear access controls.
It also called for the protection of sources and sensitive materials, as well as clear procedures for reporting and responding to cyber incidents.
“These are no longer purely technical matters; they are questions of professional integrity and institutional survival,” the Authority said.
The CSA further proposed that members of the Private Newspapers and Online News Publishers Association of Ghana (PRINPAG) designate cybersecurity focal persons and conduct regular staff training to strengthen the resilience of their newsrooms.
It said it would work with PRINPAG to promote regular briefings, awareness sessions, incident-reporting guidance and practical engagements between journalists and security institutions.
