Here you will find investigative commissions for outstanding cases, experts in computer forensics, telecommunications surveillance, evaluation, analysis and prevention, as well as the Central Internet Research Unit and the Child Pornography Evaluation Unit.
The employees of the Central Information and Service Center Cybercrime (ZISC) advise other state and federal authorities on how to handle operations and conduct investigations in cases of outstanding cybercrime. The Central Cybercrime Contact Point (ZAC) with the Single Point of Contact (SPoC) is also located here and can be reached around the clock, seven days a week.
Whether government authorities, institutions and associations from research and education or the business world - this central point provides them with expert help. "If the worst comes to the worst", all important immediate measures are initiated and coordinated here.
The Cybercrime Evaluation and Analysis Center identifies crime and offender contexts as well as new modi operandi. It bundles the relevant information and forwards it to the district police authorities, other state criminal investigation offices and the Federal Criminal Police Office. Based on the information currently received and already available, the employees prepare analyses, evaluation reports and situation reports. Targeted analyses of the case numbers from the reports and notifications enable new phenomena to be identified and new prevention strategies to be developed in collaboration with the Prevention division.
These specialist areas include fundamental technical assessments and statements, international cooperation, the prevention of cybercrime with high technical requirements and committee work, which is responsible for contributions to the development and coordination of nationally coordinated procedures. The cooperation between all specialist areas provides significant impetus for the strategic direction in the fight against cybercrime.
The aim of the work in the area of cybercrime prevention is to increase awareness of the dangers and teach effective behavior. The aim is to reduce the risk of becoming a victim of crime and prevent damage. To this end, there is a proven network of different cooperation partners such as Bitkom, Voice - Bundesverband der IT-Anwender and the security partnership with ASW NRW. Since 2017, there has been a similar cooperation agreement with the eco Association of the Internet Industry and networker NRW e.V.
The Cybercrime Competence Center develops state-wide prevention concepts for the district police authorities. As part of trade fair appearances and presentations as well as articles on the intranet and internet, employees provide information on specific topics of prevention in the area of cybercrime.
Division 41.3 is dedicated to the particularly dynamic developments in digitalization. Software for police requirements is provided for the district police authorities and the LKA NRW and in some cases developed in-house. Agile methods are used to cover the entire software life cycle: from the collection of requirements and development in close cooperation with specialist departments through to support and maintenance in live operation.
In addition, an ongoing market review is carried out to cover specialist criminal investigation requirements with software solutions. In both cases, current technical developments are monitored closely.
Furthermore, sub-department 41.3 is permanently and regularly networked with science and research. This includes exchanges with universities, research institutions and industry as well as participation in and initiation of research projects in tendered projects.
The ZASt evaluates image and video material that glorifies violence, pornography and is harmful to minors. Most of the media, which is predominantly in digital form, is child pornography. The aim of the analysis is to identify the perpetrators and victims of sexual abuse, for example by determining the time and place of the crime.
The central office coordinates crime-specific search measures throughout the country, uncovers new ways of committing crimes and supports the district police authorities in their investigations.
Divisions 42.1 - person-oriented research in data networks - and 42.2 - fact-oriented research in data networks - go on targeted patrols on the Internet to uncover criminal offences, ward off Internet-related threats and discover and analyze new phenomena. The investigations focus in particular on the phenomena of child pornography, politically motivated crime as well as weapons, narcotics and illegal drug trafficking.
The CRuFz is constantly developing new methods to identify criminals and threats on the internet, which can be used by other police departments as required. In addition, the CRuFz advises and supports police, administrative and judicial authorities, e.g. in identifying suspects who attempt to use the anonymity of the internet to commit crimes.
Three permanent investigation commissions are each working on several cybercrime cases of outstanding importance, sometimes simultaneously.
Most of the proceedings involve complex technical issues such as cryptography and anonymization, new modi operandi or even strong international connections.
Collaboration with foreign investigative authorities is often required. In specific individual cases, employees also develop new investigative methods and tools in collaboration with other departments.
The preservation of telecommunications data is of great importance in investigative proceedings and in dangerous situations. The TKÜ service of the LKA NRW implements requests from the police authorities around the clock to secure content data (e.g. the telecommunications of suspects) or traffic data (e.g. determining the location of missing persons).
The employees are available as contacts for all police authorities in North Rhine-Westphalia for technical, tactical and legal issues relating to TKÜ.
Whether computer hard disks, memory chips from cell phones or navigation devices - the police officers and IT specialists in digital forensics read the stored data from electronic devices. They are constantly looking for new ways and methods to access the contents of even the trickiest cases.
The data obtained is then processed by the employees so that it can be evaluated by the investigators for their proceedings.
For specific questions about your security in the area of cybercrime or if you suspect a cybercrime offense, you will find competent contacts at your local police station throughout North Rhine-Westphalia.