 | | On 5 and 30 August 2024 respectively, the Grant Agreements were signed with the European Funds Unit of the Ministry of Interior, as the Managing Authority of the Home Affairs Funds, and the Cyprus Police, as the Beneficiary, the Cybercrime Subdivision being the department involved, to finance the following projects:
Strengthening cybercrime combating
The main objective of the project is to strengthen the operational capabilities of the Cybercrime Subdivision to effectively prevent and combat crimes and/or anti-social behaviour online or on other digital communication means, increase public information and awareness about cross-border crime, and mainly cybercrime.
Specifically, within the context of the project, the following actions will be implemented:
• Strengthen the operational capabilities of the Cybercrime Subdivision
• Building and energy upgrade of the Digital Forensic Evidence Laboratory of the Cybercrime Subdivision
• Purchase of forensic hardware and renewal of its software licenses
• Raising awareness among the public about cross-border cybercrime
• Educational programmes for training aiming to enhance operational capabilities
By implementing the said actions, the level of preparedness and capability of Police members will be improved in terms of responding and effectively dealing with cross-border crime and cybercrime, whereas online reporting of cybercrimes and crimes pertaining to fraud/forgery through non-cash payment means will also improve.
The project is implemented within the framework of the Internal Security Fund, and it is jointly financed by the European Union and the Republic of Cyprus, with a total budget of €811,699.22.
Project implementation period: 01/01/2023 – 31/12/2025.
Equipment upgrade for cybercrime investigation
The main objectives of the project are the following:
• effective investigation, combating and solving of cases of sexual abuse of minors, organized crime, terrorism and cybercrime
• enhancing the capabilities of the Cybercrime Subdivision members
• providing the maximum speed for data exchange
• safeguarding and securing sensitive network data and confidential information
• maximum security and encryption of digital data
Specifically, within the framework of the project, the following actions will be implemented; the actions will contribute to the prevention and combating of Organised Crime and Terrorism through cross-border cooperation:
• supply of specialised forensic equipment, to improve the capabilities of the members serving at the Digital Forensic Evidence Laboratory which belongs to the Cybercrime Subdivision
• supply of other peripheral technological equipment
• supply of specialized offices, especially designed as laboratories.
The population who will benefit from the project implementation will be firstly the Cybercrime Subdivision members who will use the said equipment, considering that the way of execution of their duties will be upgraded and improved. Additionally, the population of the Republic of Cyprus will benefit as it will contribute to crime prevention and combating and the timely identification of online distribution of illegal material. At the same time, the EU population will benefit, as organised crime, terrorism and cybercrime do not have borders and are not confined within one state.
The project is implemented within the framework of the Internal Security Fund, and it is jointly financed by the European Union and the Republic of Cyprus, with a total budget of €426,391.68.
Project implementation period: 01/02/2024 - 31/12/2025 |