Cyber & IP Asia

Background

The U.S. Transnational and High-Tech Crime Global Law Enforcement Network (GLEN) program is the result of a partnership between the U.S. Department of State Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (DOS/INL) and the U.S. Department of Justice’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (DOJ/CCIPS) and Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training (DOJ/OPDAT).

The GLEN is a worldwide law enforcement capacity building network of International Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property (ICHIP) attorney advisors, computer forensic analysts (Global Cyber Forensics Advisors or GCFAs), and federal law enforcement agents who deliver training and technical assistance to foreign law enforcement, prosecutorial, and judicial partners to combat intellectual property and cybercrime activity, as well as to assist in the collection and use of electronic evidence to combat all types of crime, including transnational organized crime (TOC).

Currently, ICHIPs are posted to regional positions in Africa (Abuja, Nigeria and Addis Ababa, Ethiopia), Asia (Hong Kong, S.A.R.; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; and Bangkok, Thailand), Europe (Bucharest, Romania; Zagreb, Croatia; and The Hague, Netherlands), and Western Hemisphere (São Paulo, Brazil and Panama City, Panama).  Two subject-matter expert ICHIPs -- the ICHIP for Global Internet Fraud and Public Health (IFPH) and the ICHIP for Global Dark Web and Cryptocurrency (DWC) -- as well as DOJ computer forensic analysts and law enforcement officials with intellectual property and cybercrime expertise also form part of the GLEN.

The objective of the GLEN is to promote the rule of law and to protect Americans from criminal threats emanating from abroad by delivering targeted training to encourage both immediate improvements as well as long-term institutional change.  This assistance includes training workshops, legislative review, case-based mentoring, skills development, and promoting institutional reform such as the formation of specialized units to address these criminal threats.  Finally, the ICHIPs encourage countries to join the Council of Europe’s Convention against Cybercrime (Budapest Convention) as well as the G7 24-7 High Tech Crimes Digital Evidence Sharing Network (HTCN), an informal network that provides high-tech expert contacts to assist in preserving and sharing digital evidence.

In Asia, ICHIP Kuala Lumpur focuses primarily on cybercrime in Southeast Asia.  ICHIP Hong Kong focuses primarily on IPR crime throughout all of Asia.  ICHIP Bangkok is a part-time position filled by the DOJ Attaché for Southeast Asia and focuses primarily on IPR crime.

IPR-Focused ICHIPs

The Hong Kong-based IPR ICHIP supports the capacity building needs in partner nations throughout Asia by assessing the abilities of law enforcement authorities to enforce IPR; developing and conducting skills trainings and  case-based mentoring to support the justice sector personnel in enforcing IPR; assisting in developing or strengthening institutions dedicated to IPR enforcement; monitoring regional trends in IPR protection; and providing expert assistance in support of U.S. intellectual property (IP) policies and initiatives in the region.

The IPR ICHIPs also assist foreign partners with legislative drafting, review of proposed legislation, and preparing country submissions for the U.S. Trade Representative’s annual Special 301 Report.  They also act as liaisons between U.S. law enforcement partners in the region and rights-holders, whose support is critical for IPR investigations and prosecutions.  Since the program’s inception in June 2016, the ICHIPs have designed, organized, and implemented IPR crime mentoring and training events for over 1,000 judges, prosecutors, investigators, customs officers, and administrative enforcement officials.

Cyber-Focused ICHIP

The Kuala Lumpur-based, cyber-focused ICHIP program helps legal and law enforcement partners in Southeast Asia develop an understanding of cybercrime and its technical nature, how to utilize specialized investigative techniques to enhance evidence collection, the basics of digital forensic analysis, and successful prosecutorial strategies.  The ICHIP also facilitates regional cooperation, which includes sharing digital evidence.  The Kuala Lumpur-based ICHIP mentors foreign partners by highlighting best practices in investigating, prosecuting, and adjudicating cybercrime and cyber-enabled crime.  The ICHIP also reviews existing cybercrime legislation and helps draft new legislation that facilitates more effective cybercrime investigations and prosecutions.  Of note, the ICHIP program recently initiated the creation of a Cryptocurrency Working Group for prosecutors, investigators, judges, and other justice sector officials in partner nations in Southeast Asia.

Since the launch of this regional program in September 2015, the Kuala Lumpur-based ICHIP program has designed and implemented cases-based mentoring and training programs for over 2,000 judges, prosecutors, investigators, digital forensic analysts, and other government officials.

IPR-Focused ICHIP Recent Activities

• December 2023: ICHIP Hong Kong participated in the 2023 ICHIP Industry Forum for IP Rights Protection. This was the third annual forum, which took place virtually and included IP industry rights holders and government officials. Approximately 100 industry and government representatives attended, including senior representatives from a broad range of industries such as pharmaceuticals, software, luxury goods, electronics, apparel, motion pictures, music, consumer goods, and automobiles.

• November 2023: ICHIPs Hong Kong, Bangkok, and the ICHIP Bangkok Special Agent (SA), hosted twelve Indo-Pacific and North Asian countries at the 7th meeting of the IP Crimes Enforcement Network (IPCEN), a regional conference of approximately 70 key law enforcement officials that aims to enhance international cooperation in combatting intellectual property (IP) crimes.  Prosecutors, police, customs, and other government officials from Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, the Republic of Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, and the United States participated.

• September 2023: ICHIP Hong Kong, in partnership with U.S. Embassy Ulaanbaatar and USPTO, hosted two workshops on IP criminal enforcement and electronic evidence for 30 police officers and 30 prosecutors in Mongolia.

• September 2023: ICHIP Hong Kong, in partnership with U.S. Embassy Ulaanbaatar, USPTO, and two U.S. federal judges, hosted two workshops on IP crime and electronic evidence for 30 Mongolian judges.

Cyber-Focused ICHIP Recent Activities

• December 2023:  ICHIP Kuala Lumpur co-hosted a five-day cryptocurrency investigations workshop for approximately 40 Malaysian investigating officers and prosecutors.  The workshop focused on the cryptocurrency ecosystem, tracing cryptocurrency transactions, working with virtual asset service providers, and seizing and forfeiting cryptocurrency.

• November 2023:  ICHIP Kuala Lumpur led a three-day cryptocurrency fundamentals workshop for twenty members of the Indonesia Attorney General's Cybercrime Task Force. The workshop covered the cryptocurrency ecosystem, basic tracing techniques, working with exchanges, gathering evidence of attribution, and seizing cryptocurrency.

• November 2023:  ICHIPs Kuala Lumpur and DWC co-hosted an in-person meeting of 30 members of the Southeast Asia Cryptocurrency Working Group (SEACCWG) in Phuket, Thailand. The meeting featured training on seizing cryptocurrency and included the development of standard operating procedures (SOPs) and related policies on seizing cryptocurrencies, as well as hands-on exercises on seizing different types of virtual assets. During breakout sessions, the participants developed draft SOPs that could be used in their respective countries. Each country also presented on recent cryptocurrency developments in their country, including case studies as well as policy and legislative updates. The FBI's Virtual Assets Unit also supported the training.

• November 2023:  ICHIP Kuala Lumpur presented virtually at the ASEAN+3 Cybercrime Conference on the importance of international collaboration and cooperation during complex cybercrime investigations.

• November 2023: ICHIP Kuala Lumpur led a one-day workshop on cybercrime investigations for 20 judges in Vientiane, Laos. The workshop featured presentations by the ICHIP, a GCFA, and a DHS HSI SA.

• November 2023:  ICHIP Kuala Lumpur led a three-day advanced online investigations workshop for 25 Lao prosecutors and police officers in Vientiane, Laos. The workshop featured presentations from the ICHIP, a GCFA, and a DHS HSI SA.