OSCE supports training for Kazakhstan’s law enforcement officers on countering cybercrime

ALMATY, Kazakhstan, 14 March 2016 – An OSCE-supported five-day training seminar for law enforcement officials aimed at enhancing their understanding of various cyber-attack mechanisms and the types of incriminating evidence began today in Almaty.

Some 20 officials from the Interior and Justice Ministries, the Prosecutor General’s Office, the State Revenue Committee of the Ministry of Finance, the Agency for Civil Service Affairs and Countering Corruption, and the Almaty Police Academy are attending the training course led by experts from the United States of America.

The course curriculum was designed for participants who previously attended the Basic Investigation of Computers and Electronic Crimes Programme in June 2015 and Computer and Network Intrusion Course in October 2015, which were organized by the OSCE Programme Office in Astana and the U.S. Embassy in Kazakhstan. Upon the completion of this course, the law enforcement personnel will be prepared to collect and assess a variety of network-related evidence.

“To combat cybercriminals effectively you need to be every bit as smart and savvy as they are while maintaining permanent vigilance to protect the innocent,” said Colin McCullough, Political Officer at the OSCE Programme Office in Astana. “Learning the best practices from other countries will help you as individuals and your respective ministries do so. But the conclusion of this training event should not be seen as the end of your education in understanding tools to combat cybercrime - it is only the beginning.”

Scott Salo of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said: “We are glad to see that we have the same group of specialists who attended all training sessions starting from the basic and ending with the advanced level course.” Salo expressed hope that this kind of co-operation will continue.

Kanat Kunguzhinov from the Prosecutor General's Office in Almaty said: “Cybercriminals are always updating their techniques and the threat of cybercrime is growing. In this regard, these seminars are needed and they need to be followed up with more in-depth training for an even larger audience.”

The event is organized by the OSCE Programme Office in Astana in co-operation with the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the United States Embassy in Kazakhstan.

The training course is part of the OSCE Programme Office’s activities in combating transnational threats, money laundering, financing of terrorism and preventing the abuse of the Internet for criminal purposes.