The Internet enables modern life. From the infrastructure that powers our villages and cities and the way we do business, to the ways we communicate with each other and entertain ourselves, all would be rendered useless without the Internet. But along with the rise in Internet use has come an equal rise in attacks and cybercrime. This cybersecurity month, we should honor the nonprofits and NGOs that build and protect key Internet functions. Or we might lose them.
The average person might think for-profit companies like Apple, Google and Microsoft are responsible for keeping digital ecosystems together. In reality, hundreds of nonprofits maintain critical cybersecurity functions for the good of the Internet and all its users, including the most vulnerable and under-resourced in our society. They are not household names, but they are vital to a safe and functioning Internet.
