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Project Galileo Marks 11 Years of Cybersecurity Defense
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Cloudflare has announced the 11th anniversary of Project Galileo, its flagship initiative offering free cybersecurity protection to at-risk public interest organizations worldwide. Launched in June 2014, the program has defended journalists, human rights groups, independent media, environmental activists, and others working on the frontlines of democracy and civil society.
To mark this milestone, Cloudflare revealed a new interactive Radar report. The report provides detailed insights into the cyber threats faced by organizations protected under Project Galileo. It highlights the increasing risks and evolving tactics used by attackers targeting these groups.
According to the report, distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks are growing more common than traditional web application exploits. From May 1, 2024, to March 31, 2025, Cloudflare blocked 108.9 billion cyber threats aimed at Project Galileo organizations. This equates to an average of nearly 325.2 million attacks per day, representing a 241% increase compared to the previous year.
Journalists and news organizations experienced the highest volume of attacks. Over 97 billion requests were blocked across 315 such organizations. The peak attack day was September 28, 2024. Human rights and civil society organizations ranked second, with 8.9 billion blocked requests. Their peak attack activity occurred on October 8, 2024.
Cloudflare also reported that the Belarusian Investigative Center, an independent journalism group, joined Project Galileo on September 27, 2024, while already under attack. The following day, it faced a major application-layer DDoS attack, generating over 28 billion requests.
Many targets were investigative journalism outlets in regions experiencing government pressure, such as Russia and Belarus. Additionally, NGOs combating racism, extremism, and defending workers' rights were heavily targeted.
One human rights group, Tech4Peace, focused on digital rights, faced a prolonged 12-day cyberattack starting March 10, 2025. The attack included over 2.7 billion requests, with varied intensity and tactics. Cloudflare noted this demonstrated a coordinated effort by attackers adapting their methods over time.
The full Radar report also covers threats faced by environmental groups and organizations involved in disaster and humanitarian relief. It serves as a resource for policymakers, researchers, and advocates protecting public interest groups worldwide.
Cloudflare emphasized that partnerships remain key to Project Galileo's growth. The company relies on 56 trusted civil society organizations globally to identify groups needing cybersecurity support. This network helps expand Project Galileo's reach and impact.
Despite significant funding cuts faced by many partners in 2025, Cloudflare reported continued efforts to protect vulnerable communities. The company expressed gratitude toward its civil society partners for their ongoing role in identifying at-risk organizations.
In conclusion, Cloudflare reaffirmed its commitment to creating a more secure, resilient, and open internet for all by defending essential public interest organizations through Project Galileo.
