Information Support for Crime Investigation in the Context of Global Digitalization

Digital technologies have radically transformed the nature and methods of committing crimes, turning computer information into a key element of evidence. The article pays particular attention to the evolution of criminal schemes: from classical phishing to the use of deepfakes, SIM boxes, NFC attacks, and artifi cial intelligence technologies for manipulating data and involving vulnerable groups of individuals in unlawful activities. It notes the expansion of the range of sources containing forensically relevant information, which today may include IoT devices, cloud storage, cryptocurrency, and geolocation services. Emphasis is placed on the fact that the digital environment creates a “gap” between an action and its refl ection: the seizure of a medium does not equal the seizure of a trace. The need to transform the system of information support for crime investigation is emphasized. The article analyzes the problems that arise in obtaining information necessary for the investigation because of its anonymization, end-to-end encryption, cross-border nature, and certain other factors. Their solution is seen in a synthesis of the achievements of traditional criminalistics with methods of collecting information from open sources, the use of artifi cial intelligence algorithms, and interagency coordination.