How Queensland Police Safeguards Victim ID Information
Paul Griffiths, Queensland Police, on Cybersecurity Challenges in Victim ID Process
Law enforcement agencies responsible for investigating cases of child exploitation face unique risks posed by cyberthreats owing to the sensitive nature of the data involved. Victim identification plays a central role in such investigations, and advanced techniques are often employed to analyze images and videos sourced from the internet or confiscated devices to aid in the identification and location of minor victims.
See Also: Rethinking Browser Security: From Risk to Asset
Paul Griffiths, victim identification manager at Argos, Queensland Police, underscored the importance of safeguarding identification data. "The foundational principle in gathering evidence from digital devices lies in preserving the data in a forensically sound manner, and rigorously regulating all access once it's acquired," he said.
As perpetrators increasingly resort to the darknet and other anonymizing technologies to evade detection and mislead law enforcement agencies, it becomes critical to fortify not only the department's systems but also to distinguish genuine culprits from wrongful suspects.
Law enforcement agencies such as Queensland Police foresee a significant challenge in harnessing cutting-edge technologies, with concerns over their potential security implications, such as those associated with cloud computing. Operating without full access to these advancements hinders their capability to stay at the vanguard of technological progress, potentially delaying the adoption of the latest tools and services.
In this video interview with Information Security Media Group conducted prior to c0c0n 2023, Griffiths discussed:
- Cybersecurity and privacy challenges in victim identification process;
- Queensland Police’s strategies to protect victim data and identification;
- Ensuring the security of digital evidence collected during investigations.
Working with Queensland Police Service since 2009, Griffiths ensures maximum benefit is achieved from the analysis of data seized from suspected child sex offenders and encountered during online investigations. He has spent much of his time investigating online child abuse.
