Google has announced that it is expanding eligibility for Project Shield, its free DDoS protection service, to include more nonprofits and organizations representing marginalized groups. This expansion aims to protect these organizations from the increasing number of cyberattacks that seek to silence their voices and disrupt their services.
Since its launch in 2013, Project Shield has helped numerous news, human rights, and elections-related organizations defend against DDoS attacks. Now, with its expanded eligibility criteria, the project will also cover organizations representing ethnic and religious minorities, as well as nonprofits supporting arts and sciences.
Project Shield is built on the same technology that Google uses to protect its own core services, such as Search, Maps, and Gmail. This technology works by analyzing traffic, detecting suspicious patterns, and blocking them from reaching websites’ servers.
This expansion is a significant step by Google in protecting freedom of expression and access to information. In a world where cyberattacks are becoming increasingly sophisticated and frequent, it is crucial to provide the necessary protection for organizations working to make their voices heard and serve their communities.
Organizations interested in benefiting from Project Shield can apply through the Google website. The application review process usually takes a few hours but can potentially stretch to a few business days. Once approved, organizations can configure Project Shield and protect their websites in just a few minutes.
