G8 Government-Private Sector High-Level Meeting on High Tech Crime

22md - 23rd May 2001
Report for Workshop 5: Training

Workshop Report

G8 recommendations have progressed but further work must be done to achieve the Action Plan required by Heads of State at the Birmingham summit in 1998.

The workshop was dedicated to finding solutions for law enforcement and industry in working together towards the common goal of appropriately trained personnel regarding high tech crime.

G8 countries worked on building upon the recommendations made by the working group in Berlin by producing practical papers seeking to help our training as well as a new working paper specific to industry.

Agreed upon were papers covering the strategy that could be adopted when looking at starting and maintaining a training programme. Its schematic format allows decision makers to consider all elements and arrive at an effective solution.

A number of documents were provided, originating from IOCE and some national government and industry bodies. These documents are recognized as being a valuable contribution that can be taken forward at national level.

Products

The following products were delivered by the workshop:

1. Training Strategy Schematic

The overall training strategy schematic sets out the business process by which a training programme should be developed and reviewed for effectiveness, currency, efficiency and quality. The proposed business process identifies key components of the process such as needs analysis necessary to identify user requirements, funding sources, training resources, programme design, delivery methods considering using the technology available, accreditation and oversight necessary to make the programme effective and efficient.

2. Logic Model for training and awareness

A logic model, directly related to the above schematic, seeks to set out the objectives, outcomes and indicators of the different stages in the strategic programme development. In doing so we distinguish between "Programme Development and Delivery" and "Enablers". By following this model, it is believed that we will provide successful training programmes that will enable the achievement of the objective of increased public safety and E-confidence.

3. Industry Training Strategy Schematic

This schematic recognises that there are specific requirements for training and awareness for industry and should be considered in conjunction with the overall schematic for law enforcement and the logic model.

4. Government-Industry Cooperation on Training Template

In order to better understand forensic needs it is necessary to be able to effectively communicate and establish a framework for an Industry-Government dialogue. This highlights that knowledge transfer should be routed to forensic specialists either informally or within a specific training programme in a timely manner.
The paper on Government Industry Cooperation seeks to define areas where Government and Industry can help one another and can benefit from an open dialogue and adoption of common training.

5. Skill Sets and Audience Template

Another product of the working group identifies specific skills sets needed by Law Enforcement Agencies and Industry to allow for forensic investigation and to make sure that valuable forensic evidence is not tampered with or lost out of lack of understanding. The paper tries to be as specific as possible in associating tasks to personnel however, it may differ from country to country and according to national treatment of evidence.

Future work

The group found that industry-government meetings such as these are useful within the G8 framework, however, the usefulness of this kind of meetings are such that work carried out within workshops should be carried through at national level.

The issue of outreach to non-G8 countries was discussed and it was acknowledged that there are a number of existing organizations nationally, regionally and globally. These are in both the industry and government environment. It is important that these groups are made aware of the work of this group to ensure a consistent approach and the avoidance of duplication.

Recommendations for action and a timetable

The participants recommend:

1. Another meeting, facilitated by the G8, should be organized so work can be continued on the training recommendations.
2. The subjects of public awareness and 24/7 that were left over from Berlin but not dealt with at this meeting are taken forward to a future meeting. The subjects are too important to be ignored.
3. Training resources should be directed toward subjects relevant to cyber crime, and offer the models built as a start towards achieving this.
4. An international body should manage the continuing process.
5. A long-term partnership between industry and law enforcement agencies, on a national level, should be created. Secondments and exchange programmes should be introduced with cross flow of personnel.
6. Both Industry and Government seek out comments from their national partners.
7. The documents produced by the IOCE be introduced to the G8 high-tech crime sub group, without delay, by the IOCE using their existing mechanism.
8. G8 countries conduct a survey of how the products of the workshop have been used at national levels between meetings.

Conclusion

Appropriate training and distinctive industry/government roles are an effective means to promote 'community policing' in cyberspace. Industry thus, may continually improve protection processes, as well as consumer confidence and trust; and result in improvements in law enforcement investigations and outcomes.

Appropriate investment and partnership by industry and government is essential to help manage the demand for public services to combat cyber and high technology crimes. This framework also seeks to continue focused and productive dialogue between industry and law enforcement, across cultures and between the G8 nations. As an example of the importance of this dialogue, the 24/7 process between industry and government will be better informed and able to respond.

Without the provision of timely, sustainable and appropriate training programmes being developed the 21st Century will be the golden age of transnational high-tech criminals.