Internal Security Fund (ISF)

Cross-sector and cross-border resilience stress tests of critical infrastructure

Strengthening the CER framework

Expected Impact: Projects selected under this call for proposals should aim to achieve one or more of the following outcomes in the field of standardisation supporting digital investigations: • structure and enhance security practitioners contribution in standardisation processes, • increase awareness and build synergies amongst relevant stakeholders • nurture a sustainable EU approach for standardisation in the field of digital investigations. Objective: (1) developing capacity and expertise of law enforcement and judicial authorities; (2) contributing to the implementation of EU law; (3) fostering cross-border cooperation between law enforcement/judicial authorities and private entities. Scope: Proposals should focus on: • Providing an analysis of the areas where standardisation for security is needed • Relevant standardisation activities to enhance the operational capacity of law enforcement and/or judicial authorities to address the challenges posed in identified areas, notably 6G and Internet based communication, digital forensics, vehicles forensics and Artificial Intelligence. • Raising awareness and supporting participation of security practitioners in relevant standardisation processes • Pooling resources in Member States to ensure effective participation in relevant standardisation processes • Designing and developing (in cooperation with the European Cybercrime Training and Education Group, when relevant), delivering and providing access to training to enhance the effectiveness of security practitioners participating in relevant standardisation processes. • Providing expertise to support the participation of security practitioners in relevant standardisation processes through studies and advice. • Reflecting on sustainable mechanisms to support an EU approach on standardisation for digital investigation. Areas where EU legislative initiatives would benefit from further standardisation activities.

Expected Impact: Projects selected under this call for proposals should aim to achieve one or more of the following outcomes in the field of countering cybercrime and supporting digital investigations: - increasing operational capacity and capabilities of law enforcement and/or judicial authorities, - increasing the availability of technical tools for law enforcement, - increasing awareness on best practices and available solutions as well as building synergies amongst relevant stakeholders will be an asset Objective: (1) developing capacity and expertise of law enforcement and judicial authorities; (2) contributing to the implementation of EU law and strategic documents; (3) fostering cross-border cooperation between law enforcement/judicial authorities and private entities. Scope: Proposals should focus on: • Enhancing the operational capacity of law enforcement and/or judicial authorities to investigate cyber-attacks and cyber enabled crime, for instance through specific training, investigative techniques and tools (including for) with a focus on top threat priorities (excluding online child sexual abuse, which is covered by specific calls for proposals) as presented in Europol Internet Organised Crime Threat Assessment 2025. Areas that have been identified by EU Member States as needing particular attention include: digital forensics (mobile forensics, computer forensics, network forensics, IoT forensics including automotive forensics, cloud forensics), visual data analysis, malware analysis and reverse engineering capabilities, cryptocurrencies tracing, identifying and disrupting criminal infrastructures, analysis and seizure, efficient storage, processing, analysis and transfer of big data and large datasets, understanding and exploiting “threat intelligence” and metadata, OSINT, crime involving the use of AI by offenders. • Enhancing the operational capabilities of law enforcement and/or judicial authorities to address the challenges posed by the use of encryption by criminals and its impact on criminal investigations, for instance through training and/or by supporting the establishment, extension and development of points of expertise and their networking at EU level or supporting the development of a toolbox of alternative investigation techniques to obtain needed information encrypted by criminals (with the exclusion of measures that could weaken encryption in general or could have an impact on a larger or indiscriminate number of people) • Enhancing the capabilities of law enforcement and/or judicial authorities through the use and/or adaptation of Large Language Models and AI-based solutions to improve analysis, translation, transcription of data as well as detection of AI materials generated for criminal pruposes. • Enhancing the operational capacity of law enforcement and/or judicial authorities to cooperate across borders, for instance supporting the gathering and provision of digital evidence, supporting the secondment of officials, improving the efficiency of 24/7 (permanent) law enforcement contact points for cybercrime, establishment of dedicated platforms • Enhancing the cooperation between private entities and/or authorities in the area of cybersecurity and law enforcement and/or judicial authorities, taking remedial action, including by setting of appropriate information exchange systems (or interfaces to make better use of existing systems) • Increasing and enhancing reporting of cybercrime to law enforcement authorities