INTERPOL and the fast-paced digital threat landscape
Dr. Madan Oberoi is the Director of Cyber Innovation and Outreach Directorate at the INTERPOL Global Complex for Innovation in Singapore. In this interview he talks about the key developments that allow law enforcement to stay on top the fast-paced digital threat landscape, offers insight on the challenges involved in managing international cyber innovation and research within INTERPOL, and introduces INTERPOL World 2015.
What are the challenges of managing international cyber innovation and research within INTERPOL?
With rapid technological advancement and effortless access to cyberspace, the world faces a range of new crime threats that are increasingly complex and intertwined. In the last few decades, we have witnessed a growing integration and interconnectedness of systems that were previously divergent, resulting in a “system-of-systems’.
Crimes in cyberspace are not contained by national boundaries or within countries, making them a truly global threat. For example, in the cybercrime arena, the offence may have been committed in one jurisdiction or country, but the victims may be in a different jurisdiction, and regulations may differ.
It is therefore extremely important that all stakeholders such as governments, police organizations, academia and private industry work together to combat these crimes. To help address this need, we will be launching INTERPOL World, a new international event to connect governments and national security agencies with specialist companies to leverage innovative technologies in order to co-create solutions.
Based on your experience, what are the key developments that allow law enforcement to stay on top the fast-paced digital threat landscape?
Efforts by governments alone are insufficient to address these threats at the pace they evolving. Given that crimes in cyberspace pose a global threat, a global response is required which calls for larger multi-stakeholder collaboration and partnership between law enforcement agencies, governments and especially with industry.
The threats facing the digital landscape and the growing interconnectedness between countries means everyone is equally as susceptible to crimes committed in the cyberspace. Platforms such as INTERPOL World, which encourage the sharing of knowledge and experience between all stakeholders, are very valuable in the global fight against cybercrime. This is especially important for countries which are developing their response to cyber threats.
INTERPOL also believes very strongly in the use of technology to counter crime in the cyberspace. The prominence of Cybersecurity Research and Development (R&D) has been the priority of many companies and law enforcement agencies in recent years, as part of their ongoing efforts to stay ahead of new technologies and to test potential solutions for resilience and effectiveness. R&D companies can make use of qualitative and quantitative scientific methodologies for combating cybercrime, which also include generating actionable information and intelligence on cyber security trends.
It is therefore important to engage the private sector such as R&D companies and security solutions providers in co-creating innovative solutions to address cybersecurity issues, and for governments to share best practices and learn from one another. The threat of cybercrime is here to stay, particularly given the increasing dependence on the Internet in daily life. As long as governments, law enforcement agencies and the private sector work together, collaborate and form partnerships, we can combat these crimes more effectively to better protect the public.
How will INTERPOL World 2015 tackle cybercrime concerns pertaining to the police?
The Internet has created borderless societies, providing unprecedented opportunities to generate wealth and stimulate economies, but this increased connectivity and reliance has also created unexpected vulnerabilities. INTERPOL World will address the threats and weaknesses of the cyberspace and identify areas for combined actions between law enforcement, governments and private industry in this fight against cybercrime.
Under the event’s Strategic Partners Programme, stakeholders across the public and private sectors will be brought together to co-create innovative solutions to security challenges faced by police organizations and governments around the world. Proposed solutions developed by our partner organizations will be presented at the INTERPOL World Congress, a knowledge sharing forum where Expert Panels and key industry players for various security domains discuss global security threats and present co-created solutions.
INTERPOL World will also be covering issues pertaining to Safe Cities, Border Management and Supply Chain Security.