Panaji, July 2025 — In a deeply insightful session at MOG Sundays, held at the Museum of Goa, Tibetan software engineer and cybersecurity advocate Lobsang Gyatso Sither recounted a lesser-known story of digital resistance. Titled “Tibetan Democracy in Exile,” the session shed light on how Tibetans countered state-sponsored cyberattacks from China by merging Buddhist philosophy with modern-day cybersecurity practices.
“In 2008, a pivotal moment came in my life with the release of the GhostNet Report,” said Sither.
That report—produced by Canada’s Citizen Lab—exposed a global cyber espionage network, affecting over 1,295 computers in 103 countries. These included high-value targets such as embassies and government offices. Sither, then a computer science student, found a calling that connected his skills with a greater cause: protecting the Tibetan community in exile.
After returning to Dharamsala in 2009, Sither joined Citizen Lab as an intern. His early work gave him direct exposure to how the Tibetan diaspora was being digitally targeted. In collaboration with the Tibet Action Institute, he helped launch a 2014 digital security campaign focused on Buddhist teachings—particularly the idea of “non-attachment.”
“Over 90% of attacks came via email attachments,” Sither said. “So we encouraged people to detach from attachments.”
The community-wide campaign encouraged the use of secure file-sharing and cloud services instead of email attachments. Remarkably, it worked. Attack patterns shifted. Malware was then sent via fake Google Drive links, forcing attackers to evolve. But the message was clear: Tibetans were learning, adapting, and fighting back.
By 2018, this work culminated in the creation of TibCERT (Tibetan Computer Emergency Readiness Team), a central body that monitors, reports, and educates the Tibetan community about ongoing cyber threats.
Even as recently as 2025, cyberattacks persist. During the 90th birthday celebrations of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, an impersonation website was created to capture data from well-wishers. The cloned website and malicious app links spread through Tibetan WhatsApp and Telegram groups, a new tactic in an old war.
“These attacks continue to evolve,” Sither explained, “but so do our defences.”
Sither also acknowledged India’s vital role in supporting the Tibetan community, especially in education. With over 90% literacy among Tibetans in exile, he credited the efforts of the Dalai Lama and the Indian government, particularly through the Central Schools for Tibetans (CSTs) and Jawaharlal Nehru’s early support.
As the “Year of Compassion” (July 6, 2025 – July 5, 2026) marks the Dalai Lama’s 90th birthday, Sither urged that this is also a time to honour India’s solidarity.
A quiet digital revolution continues—rooted in compassion, powered by code.
