The Garda National Cyber Crime Bureau is the branch of the
Garda Síochána
(; meaning "the Guardian(s) of the Peace"), more commonly referred to as the Gardaí (; "Guardians") or "the Guards", is the national police service of Ireland. The service is headed by the Garda Commissioner who is appointed by the Irish Gover ...
that investigates
computer crime
A cybercrime is a crime that involves a computer or a computer network.Moore, R. (2005) "Cyber crime: Investigating High-Technology Computer Crime," Cleveland, Mississippi: Anderson Publishing. The computer may have been used in committing th ...
, including providing
digital forensics.
History
The unit was established in 1991 as part of the
Garda National Economic Crime Bureau
The Garda National Economic Crime Bureau (GNECB; formerly Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation/GBFI) – informally known as the ''Fraud Squad'' – is a specialised division of Ireland's national police force, the Garda Síochána, that investig ...
and known as the Cyber Crime Investigation Unit.
[ With the growth in computer crime and the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland report, the unit was re-established in 2017.][
]
Organisation
The unit is divided into Computer Forensics 1 (CFE1) and 2 (CFE2), the Cybercrimes Investigations Unit, the Cyber Intelligence Unit, the Cyber Security Unit and Cyber Safety Unit.[
The unit has headquarters in Harcourt Square, Dublin and in 2021 four hubs were established in ]Cork
Cork or CORK may refer to:
Materials
* Cork (material), an impermeable buoyant plant product
** Cork (plug), a cylindrical or conical object used to seal a container
***Wine cork
Places Ireland
* Cork (city)
** Metropolitan Cork, also known as G ...
, Galway, Mullingar and Wexford.[
]
Responsibilities
The unit provides digital forensics capabilities and examines digital media seized in criminal investigations.[
It also trains people to be digital first responders who work with local District Detective Units.][
It investigates child exploitation cases and tries to identify the makers of child abuse material.][
]
Cases
Park Magic hack
David Young of Cloyne, County Cork was charged with intentionally accessing an information system without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, intentionally hindering or interrupting the functioning of an information system at the Vodafone Ireland data centre at Clonshaugh
Coolock () is a large suburban area, centred on a village, on Dublin city's Northside in Ireland. Coolock is crossed by the Santry River, a prominent feature in the middle of the district, with a linear park and ponds. The Coolock suburban are ...
Business and Technology Park, operating a computer in Cork city with an intent to make a gain for himself and a loss for others and also making a demand with menaces by threatening to release customer information.[ This followed a two-year investigation by the Bureau.][ Detective Garda Paul Fitzpatrick testified to arrest, charge and caution of all involved.][
In October 2021 David Young pleaded guilty to the charges.]
HSE ransomware attack
After the National Cyber Security Centre had restored the Health Service Executive computers, the bureau began investigating the case.[
]
References
{{Reflist
Garda Síochána
Cybercrime in the Republic of Ireland