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Technology
3D Secure Interpol Law Enforcement Metaverse Technology

INTERPOL Fights Virtual Crime in the Metaverse

 


Could the future of law enforcement lie in the virtual world? In a pioneering move, INTERPOL established the INTERPOL Metaverse Expert Group in October 2023, aiming to enhance security in the emerging digital world known as the Metaverse. This virtual space, described as a 3D online environment where users interact through avatars, has raised concerns about potential crimes like grooming, radicalization, and cyber-attacks on critical infrastructure.

The INTERPOL Metaverse Expert Group is a collaboration involving INTERPOL member countries, governments, the private sector, academia, and international organizations. Their goal is to make the Metaverse secure by design. While the Metaverse holds promise for transforming various aspects of our lives, it faces challenges such as inadequate infrastructure, privacy concerns, jurisdictional ambiguity, and cybersecurity threats.

One key recommendation from INTERPOL is the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) for predictive policing. However, there are concerns about the legal and ethical implications of relying too heavily on AI. Potential privacy violations and biases, particularly towards marginalized groups, raise red flags. The call for caution emphasises the need for checks and safeguards when using AI-based predictive policing.

Another legal dilemma in the Metaverse revolves around avatars – the digital representations of users. Questions arise about who controls AI-based avatars and their legal status. A recent case in South Korea, where a man was jailed for generating illicit content using AI, highlights the complexity of addressing legal issues tied to avatars.

The report also addresses the challenge of interoperability, emphasising the need for universal protocols to enable seamless interactions across different virtual spaces. Professor Subhajit Basu from the University of Leeds stresses the importance of collaboration between tech companies, governments, and international organizations to establish these protocols while respecting legal jurisdictions.

Basu points out that a significant aspect of the legal framework involves data protection and privacy. As users move their data within the Metaverse, comprehensive legal measures aligned with regulations like Europe's GDPR become crucial.

The INTERPOL report underscores the Metaverse's potential for immersive law enforcement training. However, it highlights complex governance issues and international laws. To bridge these gaps, the report suggests regular policy reviews to adapt to the evolving landscape of the Metaverse.

Recognizing the multi-jurisdictional nature of the Metaverse, the report emphasizes the need for a holistic approach involving collaboration between various stakeholders for an effective response to metacrime. This approach ensures engagement across borders and organizations, essential for navigating the intricate challenges posed by the Metaverse.

INTERPOL’s efforts to address Metaverse-related crimes mark a significant step towards ensuring a secure and responsible digital future. As the Metaverse continues to evolve, the call for collaboration and proactive policies becomes crucial for effective law enforcement and protection of users' rights and privacy.



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Technology
Biometric Authentication Digital Footprint Digital Identity Metaverse Technology

Role of Biometric Authentication in Metaverse Technology

 

As we approach a new era of virtual reality, the digital world is becoming increasingly real. Businesses will grow in this new reality as individuals and organisations soon enter a parallel reality known as the metaverse and show themselves as their avatars, or 3D versions of themselves. 

But, like with every new technology, every invention has two sides. On the one hand, you will be able to completely customise your avatar and appearance in the metaverse. But what about security, on the other hand? How do you safeguard your personal information in such an open virtual environment? How do you protect the security of your identities when connecting with individuals and businesses on a level you've never encountered before? Biometrics holds the key. 

Role of biometrics in the metaverse 

Biometrics is a subset of the larger area of digital identity management. It entails using distinguishing physical characteristics such as fingerprints or facial features to identify people. 

Biometric technology has been used in security systems around the world for years—think retina scans at airports or fingerprints on smartphones—but now we're seeing more companies use it for employee access control as well as customer service applications like digital banking services or e-commerce sites where purchasing specific items requires verification through a scan of your fingerprint or face before a purchase can be completed. 

The growing number of social engineering attacks and other security concerns has a significant impact on how firms verify and authorise their online users. And, when it comes to the metaverse, things are rapidly deteriorating as fraudsters target weak lines of authentication security. 

If a company leaves an opening in the overall authentication process, consumer-facing malware could compromise identities. Although many organisations are concerned about the metaverse's underlying security and authentication vulnerabilities, most aren't taking the necessary steps to mitigate them. 

This is where a strong identity management solution with biometric authentication comes into effect. Users can quickly and securely authenticate themselves using biometric authentication by using face recognition or fingerprint scanning. 

Because no two people have identical biological characteristics, this greatly reduces the likelihood of identity theft. Because it provides an easy means for people to authenticate their identity without having access to passwords or PIN codes, biometrics is at the heart of building safe digital identities in the metaverse. 

Biometrics, as opposed to passwords, is based on unique biological traits such as fingerprints, voice, and facial attributes. No two people can have the same biological parameters. And because it is robust, there is a very small possibility that it will be compromised. 

Biometrics challenges in the metaverse

While biometrics has the potential to improve security and user experience in the metaverse, it is not without its drawbacks and challenges: 

Concerns about privacy: Users in the metaverse may be hesitant to share sensitive biometric data, such as facial recognition or fingerprint scans, for fear of potential breaches or exploitation. Maintaining the security of this data becomes critical, posing a serious privacy concern. 

Security Risks: Biometric data in the metaverse, like in the real world, is vulnerable to hacking efforts. Cybercriminals may target biometric authentication systems, jeopardising users' identities and security. 

Accessibility Issues: Biometric authentication relies on specific physical or behavioural qualities that may not be available to everyone. Some users may require additional technology or have circumstances that make biometric detection problematic, preventing them from having a seamless metaverse experience.

False Positives and Negatives: Biometric systems are not perfect. False positives (recognising an unauthorised user as authorised) and false negatives (failing to recognise an authorised user) can occur, causing authentication challenges and potential user irritation. 

Biometrics' role in the metaverse is a two-edged sword. While technology has the potential to provide greater security, personalised experiences, and seamless interactions, it also poses privacy, security, accessibility, and ethical issues. To establish a secure and inclusive virtual environment, the successful incorporation of biometrics in the metaverse will require careful assessment of these issues as well as a commitment to addressing these challenges. 
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User Safety
Data Breach Data Leak Data Theft Metaverse Private Data User Safety

Here's How Hackers Sell and Trade Your Data in the Metaverse

 

Your data might be lost in the metaverse, a place where reality takes on new forms and lovely virtual landscapes arise. 

Imagine yourself in a bustling digital marketplace, surrounded by avatars dressed in the latest digital attire. A secret underground network is concealed in the metaverse's shadowy side while you're taking in all the sights and sounds. Here, data sellers and hackers can be found together, chatting about the most recent hacks and online theft. 

Darkverse: A flip side of metaverse

If you're not sure what the darkverse is, think of the wild west of the digital world; it's a place where wicked acts flourish in the absence of law. Cybercriminals, hackers, and other malicious actors dwell in this shadowy domain and operate outside the bounds of morality and the law, significantly jeopardising the stability and security of the metaverse. 

Identity theft, fraud, and data breaches are commonplace in the darkverse, preying on unsuspecting users who take a chance in this dangerous environment. Automated bots roam freely, spamming and deceiving innocent users, while cutting-edge AI and deepfake technology generate fake data, obscuring a matter of truth and reliability. 

What type of data is sold on metaverse? 

Cybercriminals have adapted to this environment by selling all forms of stolen data to the highest bidders, and metaverse data marketplaces are similarly active. Personal data, which can include your name, address, phone number, and other information, comes first on the list. 

Identity theft is common in the metaverse, as malicious actors might adopt your online persona for profit or other reasons. So, before you go in, it's useful to learn about the most common metaverse crimes. 

Another noticeable commodity is financial data. Credit card information, bank account information, and digital wallets are highly sought after because cybercriminals can use this information to conduct unauthorised transactions, depleting victims' accounts in the blink of an eye. 

Access credentials are another common item on the illicit market. If hackers obtain your usernames and passwords, they will gain access to your digital life and cause havoc on your social media, emails, and more vital accounts. In virtual worlds and blockchain-based games, rare skins, strong weaponry, and one-of-a-kind artefacts are stolen and sold for real-world cash. 

Finally, private communications containing sensitive information are a bonanza for hackers. They'll try to pry into your personal communications, gathering compromising information to use against you or sell to the highest bidder. 

Mitigation tips 

Since the metaverse has yet to make an appearance, little can be said about how to address these challenges. So far, people's hopes are aligned with Zuckerberg himself. He might develop a robust cybersecurity structure for the metaverse and implement techniques to assure data privacy and security.

However, given the privacy concerns that have emerged as a result of the idea, there are a few ways that users, whether companies or individual netizens, can secure data privacy and security within the metaverse. 

Organisations can govern the use of such information because accumulating personal information and surveillance is not something that anyone other than Facebook can control. Any organisation that establishes virtual offices in the metaverse should have stringent data privacy and security rules in place. Users should be able to control how much personal information they are willing to reveal. 

Aside from that, organisations using AR/VR devices or platforms should rigorously monitor the risks of hack assaults, data breaches, and other hostile attacks. Similarly, these organisations will need to plan ahead of time for hostile AI attacks and enable defence against them. 

Individual users who join the metaverse should be cautious about the amount and type of information they reveal. Furthermore, it is critical that they implement internet security measures meant to safeguard customers from privacy intrusions and data breaches.
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VR
Criminal Law Cyber Crime Cyber Criminals ICPO Interpol Metaverse Virtual Reality VR

Following a Surge in Metaverse Crimes, Interpol Promises to Implement Punishment


Real-world criminals are now attempting to conduct malicious practices in the virtual world, but this time they may as well face its repercussions. In order to assure the same, the International Criminal Police Organization (ICPO) is on its way to developing techniques that could identify authority crimes in the Metaverse to combat cyber-attacks and criminals lurking in the digital world. 

According to Secretary General Jurgen Stock, the objective of Interpol is to monitor criminal activities across the metaverse. The “sophisticated and professional” criminals are opting for advanced technological tools and tactics to commit crimes, which has to stop for the sake of online users. 

As the number of people using the metaverse rises, more crimes including data theft, money laundering, crimes against children, financial fraud, ransomware, phishing, etc. could occur. 

Stock believed that it was essential for Interpol to remain relevant and implement new technology as they were developed. He stressed the importance of Interpol's response to the problem, emphasizing how rapidly criminals are adopting new technologies for their illicit activities. 

He also noted that the company’s authorities run short of necessary resources at times, in order to carry out their jobs effectively. They have seen firsthand how if action is delayed, trust in the agency's resources and, consequently, the metaverse, may as well be tarnished. Such services are currently available, and criminals are already using them. 

What does Interpol Consider Crime in Metaverse? 

Interpol's virtual reality (VR) realm offers law enforcement a glimpse into the metaverse and a preview of the kinds of crimes that might be committed there through its secured servers. This further gives law enforcement personnel an opportunity to learn about the challenges of policing in the metaverse and test out potential solutions. 

However, Interpol’s Executive Director of Technology and Innovation Madan Oberoi notes that the firm is having trouble defining what constitutes a crime in the metaverse and spreading awareness of such crimes. “There are crimes where I don’t know whether it can still be called a crime or not. If you look at the definitions of these crimes in physical space, and you try to apply it in the metaverse, there is a difficulty,” he says. 

Moreover, the organization also asserts that one of its main tasks is informing the public about these issues. According to Oberoi, law enforcement agencies must make sure to educate themselves about the metaverse in order to effectively assist victims or potential victim users of crimes pertaining to the metaverse. 

In order to efficiently combat cybercrime, one of the best solutions Interpol may implement is to deal with regulating criminal acts in the metaverse and encourage law enforcement agencies to keep up with the technology's rapid advancement. Interpol promises to be in full force in assisting with criminal investigations and crime-solving. Interpol and its 195 member nations will cooperate to combat global cybercrime.   

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Theft
Crime Data Interpol Metaverse Safety Security Technology Theft

Interpol is Determining How to Police the Metaverse

 

Interpol, the International Criminal Police Organization, is researching how to police the metaverse, a digital world envisioned as an alternative to the real world. Jurgen Stock, the secretary general of Interpol, believes that the organization must be prepared for this task in order to avoid being left behind by the metaverse and its associated technology. 

When it comes to enforcing the law in the metaverse, police organizations face challenges. However, Jurgen Stock, the secretary general of the International Criminal Police Organization, Interpol, appears to believe that the organization must be prepared to take action on cybercrime. 

The organization is currently preparing to expand its operations to metaverse platforms, which are already in use by some groups to commit crimes. In an interview with the BBC, Stock stated:

"Criminals are sophisticated and professional in very quickly adapting to any new technological tool that is available to commit crime. We need to sufficiently respond to that. Sometimes lawmakers, police, and our societies are running a little bit behind."

Among the current metaverse crimes are verbal harassment, assaults, and others such as ransomware, counterfeiting, money laundering, and financial fraud. However, some of these remain in the legal gray areas.

Thefts in the Metaverse

According to Dr. Madan Oberoi, Interpol's executive director of technology and innovation, one of the most difficult problems the organization is currently facing is determining whether an action on the metaverse constitutes a crime or not. Recognizing that there are still difficulties in this regard, he stated:

"If you look at the definitions of these crimes in physical space, and you try to apply it in the metaverse, there is a difficulty. We don’t know whether we can call them a crime or not, but those threats are definitely there, so those issues are yet to be resolved."

For Oberoi, one thing is certain: to police the metaverse, Interpol needs to have contact and be present on metaverse platforms. This is why the organization already has its own location in the metaverse, which was inaugurated during its 90th General Assembly in New Delhi in October.

Interpol's metaverse platform also serves another purpose, enabling it to offer courses online to members of the force in other countries and directly practice the acquired skills in the metaverse.
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