Intelligent CISO Issue 17 | Page 13

news Cyan Forensics joins fight against child-abuse with digital forensics technology yan Forensics, an Edinburgh- based digital forensics company, has announced its first partnership in America. The company’s software helps police detect indecent images of children in minutes, speeding up the time it takes to search seized devices. C Its partnership with Alexandria Virginia headquartered non-profit, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, is the first step to introducing its tool to social media companies, network operators and US law enforcement. Digital evidence is vital to investigations into child sexual exploitation, but these investigations often take months due to delays. Delays are caused by backlogs of devices waiting to be searched and the amount of detailed work required to search each device. Cyan Forensics’ Co-Founder and CEO, Ian Stevenson with CTO, Bruce Ramsay Cyan Forensics’ software quickly scans devices for any recognised content and can be used on the device before it enters the queue. It can also help to better inform officers on the ground if a suspect should be taken in for further questioning and a comprehensive digital search. This is far more serious an issue than just the financial and time cost to the police force. Quicker decisions mean that vulnerable children can be safeguarded faster and suspects brought to justice sooner. Cyan Forensics’ Co-Founder and CEO, Ian Stevenson, said: “This is a partnership of shared values and we are delighted to be working with such a respected force in the fight against child abduction, abuse and exploitation.” DARKMATTER AND KHALIFA UNIVERSITY LAUNCH CYBERSECURITY RESEARCH AWARD arkMatter Group, a leading digital and cyber transformation firm, and Khalifa University of Science and Technology, have announced the launch of a US$1.5 million Cyber Security Research Award (CRA). University students, graduate research assistants, researchers and faculty from both local and international institutions are being invited to present ideas that could potentially advance the field of cybersecurity in the era of Smart and Digital Cities. D The announcement came during a media round table that was organised at the Khalifa University Main Campus in Abu Dhabi and was attended by top officials from DarkMatter and Khalifa University. “The sustainability of our Smart City future depends on creative and robust cybersecurity infrastructure and solutions to combat rising threats within today’s digital landscape,” said Dr Shreekant Thakkar, Chief Scientist, Advanced Research of DarkMatter Group. “With the unveiling of the Cyber Security Research Award (CRA), we are one step closer towards uncovering breakthrough solutions that will futureproof our connected, www.intelligentciso.com | Issue 17 digitalised cities. At DarkMatter Group we encourage research and are proud to be fostering a collaborative ecosystem that will leverage the skills and expertise of private, public and academic entities in a bid to create a safer, more secure society for all.” u 13