Cybercrime Calls for Digital Talents

The development and transformation of crime in 2019 is continuous, rapid and predominantly in the digital field, mentions the Dutch National Police in the article ‘Tackling cybercrime by the Dutch police: surgical precision work’. The police is well aware of this and is actively searching for legal and digital hackers to join the police force. These new reinforcements must not only have knowledge of the profession, but also urgency and a keen eye for digital detail. "This is surgical precision work."

 

Since the adoption of the Computer Crime Act III, the police may remotely penetrate suspects' computer systems and devices, thus hacking. Only one central team in the Netherlands is authorised to do this: the Digital Intrusion Team (DIGIT). This team is a collaboration between the police, the Royal Netherlands Military Police and the FIOD.

 

This team necessitates a wide range of professionals, says Rogier Rijpkema, who directs DIGIT. "We are looking for legal hackers. But you also need malware developers. The environment must run safely, so you need administrators who can write a script during an investigation. We are looking for security specialists, infrastructure experts, developers, R&D professionals, and documentation staff who ensure that conclusive documentation is brought before the court. "

 

 

IT as a tool and a target

All members of the new team have to deal with a strict set of legal rules. This implies that you also have to understand how criminal proceedings are structured, how the procedures work, how to deal with logging. The expectation is that you need another two years to make someone who is fully trained completely employable in the team.

 

In addition to the Digital Intrusion Team, IT talents are also needed in the various cybercrime investigation teams of the police. In these teams, OSInt specialists, data analysts and digital investigators work directly with tactical investigators, financial specialists, and lawyers. "In almost all types of cases you have to deal with data, but not all crimes with a digital component is cybercrime," explains Frido Koolstra of Team High Tech Crime. "It is about crime with ICT as a means and a target and there are also gradations: from relatively simple phishing e-mail to ransomware and from DDoS attacks to hacking companies or governments and stealing digital data.”

 

 

From hacking to terror

It is not necessary to have a police background, but: "Of course you have some understanding/comprehension of how a police investigation works. The ideal is a balanced team. With people who know how an investigation works, how you gather evidence, how criminal proceedings work, what authorisations you have, and how you put something on paper - but also people from the outside, who think ‘out of the box’. "

 

Quite a challenge, for which precision is an absolute requirement. Because that precision is needed for sensitive cases such as those that DIGIT may be confronted with crimes for which there is a minimum imprisonment of four years, this applies to the recording of identified data. Actual recording and tracking is only permitted for offenses for which there is a minimum imprisonment of eight years. This includes producing and distributing child pornography and the preparation for terrorist attacks, but also hacking, incitement and being a member of a criminal organisation.

 

 

A step ahead

Digital investigation is endless puzzling and constant learning, says Koolstra. "You are constantly confronted with new closed doors. And they must therefore be opened. It is best if you are one step ahead of criminals. Taking over the Hansa market on the dark web is a good example of this. "

 

Do you have a passion for IT and technology and are you alert to trends and developments in the field of cyber security? The police is looking for security specialists, infra experts, developers, R&D-professionals, and documentation staff, check out it.kombijdepolitie.nl and view the current vacancies. You can also find a selection of relevant vacancies of the Dutch National police and other interesting organisations at the Security Talent job and internship page.

 

 

For the original article in Dutch at Intermediar click here

 

 

Partners involved

Nationale Politie