What is SecureDrop?

SecureDrop is an open-source whistleblower submission system that media organisations can use to securely accept documents from and communicate with anonymous sources. It was originally created by the late Aaron Swartz (co-founder of Reddit) and is currently managed by Freedom of the Press Foundation.

SecureDrop is only accessible on the Tor network. Tor is an open network that defends against network surveillance and prevents people from learning your location or browsing habits.

By using SecureDrop, Fairfax Media aims to create a significantly more secure environment for sources to share information with our journalists than exists through normal digital channels.

How to use SecureDrop

We recommend that you connect to a public wifi network (such as a cafe) before completing the steps below. For maximum privacy we suggest you use the secure operating system Tails to connect to the internet.

You must download and install Tor web browser prior to completing the steps below. Download it here: https://torproject.org/ and follow the installation instructions.

SecureDrop Submission Steps:

  1. 1

    Once installed, start the Tor browser. Note: It can take a couple of minutes to connect.

  2. 2

    In the Tor browser navigate to the following URL: http://ipfhnseo4hgfw5mg.onion/ Note: URLs ending with .onion can only be accessed via the network of Tor servers. When the page loads, you will find further instructions on how to use SecureDrop.

  3. 3

    When you submit documents for the first time, you will receive a unique code name, which you need to keep secure. You will use this code name to check for responses from our journalists. If you lose or forget your code name you will be unable to read replies or respond to journalists.

  4. 4

    When you submit certain types of files through SecureDrop, metadata associated with that file may also be sent. If you don’t want to send us metadata, please use the Metadata Anonymization Toolkit to scrub the file before you submit it.

Fairfax Media journalists will check for submissions to SecureDrop. If we want to contact you about information you have submitted, we will leave a message for you in SecureDrop.
If you want to remain anonymous you should not supply any personally identifying information in your exchanges with our journalists.
If you want to communicate with a specific journalist please indicate this in your submission.

How is my privacy protected?

The SecureDrop platform has the following characteristics, which reduce the chance that your identity will be linked to the documents you upload: