The Digital Forensic Research Lab (DFRLab) is a first of its kind organization with technical and policy expertise on disinformation, connective technologies, democracy, and the future of digital rights. Incubated at the Atlantic Council in 2016, the DFRLab has conducted over 1,000 investigations exposing influence operations and emerging digital threats worldwide.

With a team rooted in diverse regional expertise and subject-matter knowledge, the DFRLab works to promote digital resilience, defend democratic institutions, and ensure that objective fact remains central to public discourse in an increasingly contested information space.

Read the DFRLab’s latest case studies, learn about our initiatives, and more at DFRLab.org

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The Democracy + Tech Initiative creates policy practices that align global stakeholders toward tech and governance that reinforces, rather than undermines, open societies. It builds on the DFRLab’s established track record and leadership in the open-source field, empowering global communities to promote transparency and accountability online and around the world.

The Atlantic Council Technology Programs comprises five existing efforts—the Digital Forensic Research Lab (DFRLab), the GeoTech Center, the Cyber Statecraft Initiative, the Democracy + Tech Initiative, and the Capacity Building Initiative. These operations work together to address the geopolitical implications of technology and provide policymakers and global stakeholders necessary research, insights, and convenings to address challenges around global technology and ensure its responsible advancement.

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From the archives

Experts

Content

In the News

Aug 15, 2017

Naz Durakoglu profiled in Roll Call

STRATCOM page banner2

360/StratCom

Jul 20, 2017

STRATCOM

Read the Primer Read the Report Watch the Webcast   On September 26, 2017, The Atlantic Council hosted the first Transatlantic Forum on Strategic Communications (StratCom) in Washington, DC. State and non-state actors seek to influence Western democracies through targeted disinformation campaigns tailored to the digital world. Policymakers across the Atlantic have recognized the threats […]

In the News

Mar 7, 2017

POLITICO Playbook: Naz Durakoglu Joins Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensic Research Lab

By Atlantic Council

Naz Durakoglu is joining the Atlantic Council as senior fellow and strategist for the Council’s new open source and digital forensic research lab, @DFRLab.

Disinformation English

In the News

Feb 24, 2017

Eliot Higgins quoted by McClatchy on Breaking Aleppo report

By Eliot Higgins

Eliot Higgins, Nonresident Senior Fellow for the DFRLab, spoke to McClatchy DC on the methodology behind the Breaking Aleppo report.

Disinformation English

In the News

Feb 23, 2017

Czuperski joins CNN to discuss Atlantic Council’s Breaking Aleppo report

By Maksymilian Czuperski

Maks Czuperski, director of the Atlantic Council's DFRLab, speaks to Christiane Amanpour about the center's new report "Breaking Aleppo."

Disinformation English
Breaking Aleppo

Report

Feb 13, 2017

Breaking Aleppo

By Maks Czuperski, Emma Beals, Faysal Itani, Eliot Higgins, and Ben Nimmo

The DFRLab's report captures the final months of the breaking of Aleppo using innovative open source methodologies and geolocation analysis.

Conflict Disinformation

In the News

Feb 2, 2017

The Atlantic features the Digital Forensic Research Lab on Russian hacking

By Atlantic Council

The Atlantic features the Digital Forensic Research Lab on Russian hacking in Eastern Europe and the Baltics, and what we can learn from it.

Cybersecurity Disinformation

In the News

Feb 2, 2017

The Financial Times features the Digital Forensic Research Lab on the escalation of the Russian and Ukrainian conflict

By Atlantic Council

The Financial Times features the Digital Forensic Research Lab (DFRLab) on the escalation of the Russian and Ukrainian conflict.

Conflict Disinformation

In the News

Nov 3, 2016

Reuters cites DFRLab article on Russian emails

By Atlantic Council

Reuters cites a Medium article by the DFRLab analyzing the authenticity of leaked emails between top Russian advisors and Ukrainian separatists.

Conflict Disinformation

In the News

Oct 27, 2016

Foreign Policy features the Atlantic Council’s DFRLab

By Atlantic Council

Foreign Policy cites reports from the DFRLab detailing the number of Russian ships in the Mediterranean and their capabiltiies.

Conflict Disinformation