A e-investigator is a specialist officer (police officer, gendarme, sworn civilian expert) in the investigation of digital and cybercrime.
Its role is to collect, analyse and exploit digital evidence in order to identify and prosecute the perpetrators of offences committed in cyberspace. It also adopts a proactive stance by taking part in monitoring and preventionby identifying new emerging threats and helping to improve the overall security of cyberspace.
Its scope of action is vast and covers a a wide range of cybercrimesThese range from sophisticated hacking to more common forms of cybercrime, such as online scams, phishing and cybercrime. phishingthe ransomwareThe following are examples of the types of offences that can be prosecuted under the Criminal Code, the dissemination of illegal content, cyber-bullying, attacks on information systems and breaches of confidentiality. personal data. It works on both isolated cases and large-scale organised crime cases, often with a transnational dimension.
🎯 Missions
There are several aspects to the cyberinvestigator's role:
- Collecting and preserving digital evidence
It carries out forensic analyses on various media (computers, smartphones, servers, removable media, etc.) in order to extract probative data without altering its integrity. - Investigation and tracing
It follows the trail of cybercriminals by analysing networks, identifying IP addresses and using Internet search techniques, in particular via tools OSINT (Open Source Intelligence). - Data analysis
Thanks to specialised software, it interprets the traces left by the cyber attacks to reconstruct the chain of events and determine who is responsible. - Interagency collaboration
It works closely with other police and gendarmerie services, as well as international partners (Europol, Interpol, Eurojust, etc.), to coordinate cross-border operations against cybercrime. - Technology watch and training
Faced with rapidly evolving technologies and methods used by cybercriminals, it keeps abreast of the latest innovations and participates in ongoing training.
🔧 Tools used
To carry out their investigations, cyber-investigators draw on a wide range of techniques:
- Software for forensics digital
Tools such as EnCase, FTK and Cellebrite can be used to extract and analyse data from digital media. - Network analysis and intrusion detection tools
Software such as Wireshark or Snort is used to monitor and analyse network traffic. - OSINT solutions
Platforms such as Maltego and Recon-ng make it easier to gather public information on the internet. - Specialist equipment
Specific hardware and software devices are used to extract traces of activities (logging, metadata retrieval, data analysis, etc.). figures). - International cooperation platforms
Tools facilitating the exchange of information between agencies (for example, via Interpol or Europol) strengthen cross-border action.
Examples
In France
- CYBERGEND Network and Centre for Combating Digital Crime (C3N)
The Gendarmerie Nationale has a specialised network (CYBERGEND) and technical centres (such as C3N) staffed by experts capable of conducting complex investigations into cybercrime. - Encrochat case
The infiltration of the Encrochat encrypted communication system has led to the dismantling of an international network of cyber criminals. This operation, which involved French and international cyber-investigators, clearly illustrates the effectiveness of these units in the fight against organised crime using digital technologies.
In the world
- Europol and the European Cybercrime Centre (EC3)
Among other things, Europol coordinates transnational cybercrime operations, bringing together experts from various European countries to dismantle international criminal networks. - Interpol and US agencies (FBI, DHS)
In the United States, the FBI and other specialist services regularly conduct operations against large-scale attacks (such as the WannaCry ransomware) and collaborate with their international counterparts to counter hacker groups.
📊 Key figures
In France, a number of reports and official documents give figures illustrating the importance of this specialisation:
- Workforce :
- Around 456 police cybercrime investigators.
- 54 experts within the technical and forensic police.
- 59 gendarmes with expertise in innovative applications, with around 260 N-TECH gendarmes specialising in new technologies.
- More than 2,900 specialist investigators and reservists mobilised against cybercrime.
- The Gendarmerie Nationale plans to reach a network of nearly 7,000 cyber-investigators (CYBERGEND) over the next few years.
- International cooperation :
- There are around 74 internal security services abroad involved in joint operations, representing almost 289 police and gendarmerie personnel on the ground.
