A round-up of this week’s digital forensics news and views:
Navigating the complex world of cell phone forensics: How multiple SIMs and eSIMs impact investigations
There are various challenges that multiple SIM cards and eSIMs in smartphones pose for digital forensics investigations. They complicate data attribution and require sophisticated tools and legal processes to extract and analyze information properly. There is a need for law enforcement to obtain appropriately specific warrants, collaborate across jurisdictions, update procedures and technologies to handle such complex cases, and advocate for clear legal standards that keep pace with technological advancements.
Here’s What We Can Learn (and Do) About Cybercrime from FBI’s Latest Internet Crime Report
The FBI’s latest Internet Crime Report sheds light on the escalating menace of cybercrime. It underscores the importance of enhancing public and private sector collaboration, amplifying cybersecurity awareness, and adopting stringent security protocols to mitigate threats. The report suggests a proactive stance for 2024, aiming to reduce cybercrime by focusing on the most critical vulnerabilities and fostering a secure digital environment for all. This approach calls for collective efforts to outpace cybercriminals and establish a safer cyber future.
Canadian agencies do not have the capacity or capability to police cybercrime: AG
A recent audit by Canada’s auditor general highlights significant shortcomings in the ability of the RCMP and other national security agencies to manage cybercrime effectively. The report criticizes these agencies for lacking the necessary capacity and capabilities, which hampers their understanding of cybercrime landscapes and impedes their ability to monitor and investigate specific cases. This shortfall affects the federal policing branch’s overall effectiveness in addressing and mitigating cybercrime incidents across the country.
The UN Cybercrime Draft Convention Remains Too Flawed to Adopt
The proposed UN Cybercrime Convention risks enabling human rights abuses due to its overly broad scope beyond core cybercrimes, extensive cross-border surveillance powers, and lack of robust human rights safeguards, potentially allowing repressive regimes to target dissidents, activists and marginalized groups.
Russian gang ‘behind NHS cyber attack’ that sparked chaos in 5 London hospitals
Russian cyber criminal group known as Qilin is believed to be behind a recent ransomware attack that severely disrupted pathology services for major London hospitals run by NHS trusts Guy’s and St Thomas’ and King’s College Hospital. The attack has forced cancellations of operations, tests, and blood transfusions. Qilin operates a ransomware-as-a-service model on the dark web and has a history of attacking organizations globally, including previously targeting the Big Issue Group, Victorian courts in Australia, and an automotive supplier to Stellantis.
FBI encourages LockBit victims to step right up for free decryption keys
In a significant advancement against the LockBit ransomware, the FBI has disclosed that they have acquired over 7,000 decryption keys, offering a lifeline to affected entities. Announced by FBI Cyber Division Assistant Director Bryan Vorndran at the Boston Conference on Cyber Security, the agency is actively distributing these keys to LockBit victims to aid in data recovery. Victims are urged to contact the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center to access the free decryption keys, as the FBI continues to analyze LockBit data for further breakthroughs in the case.
Fredericton police to buy cellphone-cracking tool to use in investigations
The Fredericton Police Force has been greenlit by the city council to invest $31,000 in a sophisticated tool designed to bypass cellphone security measures, such as passwords. This move will enable law enforcement officers to access protected data on mobile devices, enhancing their ability to gather crucial evidence efficiently and effectively during investigations. The specifics of the tool, including its operational details and manufacturer, were not disclosed in the council’s public agenda.
Sleuthcon: Cybercrime emerges in Morocco and law enforcement gets creative
At Sleuthcon 2024, Morocco was pinpointed as a new hotspot for cybercrime activities. Law enforcement agencies from the UK and US showcased their innovative strategies in combating these threats. Officials emphasized their tactics in shaming and disrupting hacker groups, highlighting a shift towards more creative approaches in tackling advanced persistent threats and cybercriminals on an international scale.
AI Boosts Cybercrime, INTERPOL Warns
INTERPOL’s March report highlights an alarming trend where Latin American criminal organizations, including Red Command and CJNG, are increasingly leveraging artificial intelligence and cryptocurrencies to enhance their financial fraud schemes. The report comes as CIC Latam, funded by a U.S. grant, intensifies its efforts against cybercrime through specialized workshops and investigations, signaling a growing challenge for cybersecurity in the region.
