INTERPOL hosts digital security challenge in Singapore

The INTERPOL Digital Security Challenge, which took place last week in Singapore, gave participants from 26 countries a scenario that gave them 52 hours to identify a blackmailer demanding a 10,000 bitcoin ransom.

“Cybercrime investigations are becoming more and more complex and this challenge replicated some of the twists and turns which investigators face every day,” Madan Oberoi, director of innovation and outreach at the INTERPOL Global Complex for Innovation (IGCI), said. “What was equally as important was the involvement of the private sector in this exercise. Its input in providing both hardware and software along with training and demonstrations clearly showed how essential it is for cooperation between law enforcement and industry to ensure officers have the skills and tools to tackle these crimes.”

The event brought 64 contestants divided into eight teams each, comprising a mixture of expertise, including cybercrime investigators and digital forensic experts, to collaborate in the challenge.

The challenge worked in partnership with the private sector, including Cellebrite, the Cyber Defense Institute, Magnet Forensics, MSAB, NEC Corp. and Trend Micro, to organize the event.

“Trend Micro has always been committed to public-private partnerships to fight a common adversary, those that would use digital technology to do harm,” Eva Chen, Trend Micro’s CEO, said. “This challenge further prepared the participants to effectively combat cybercrime, and we are proud to have supported this exceptional initiative.”