Institut de recherche criminelle de la gendarmerie nationale (IRCGN), France

The "Institut de recherche criminelle de la gendarmerie nationale" is the forensic laboratory of the "gendarmerie nationale", second national police force in France. Its missions are to assist criminal investigations by providing expert work in all forensic disciplines, both in the laboratory and on the field; to train crime scene investigators; to develop methods and techniques for forensic activities.

The IT Forensics department was created in 1992 and is now composed of 13 people, in charge of all digital evidence activities, ranging from computer media to electronics, including network forensics. All criminal activities are covered, but more specifically: child pornography cases, network hacking are among its specialties. A network of 40 trained specialised investigators all over the country are in charge of first digital forensic investigations.

Our research and development activities cover the full spectrum of digital evidence, and are aimed at developing tools (mostly software) and techniques both for the laboratory and local units. Our key products are:

• MARINA, automated tool for discovery of child pornography, booting from a CD-ROM, using GNU/Linux and guaranteeing the protection of the original evidence;
• SIMAnalyste, a tool for the extraction of all information available in a SIM card;
• A set of software to quickly identify smart card counterfeiting uses (encrypted television, French banking card, French telephone card…)

Our current research activities also include the development of new techniques for Internet interceptions, faster hacking investigations, GSM BTS mapping, recovery of corrupted files and car electronics.

For further information visit us at http://www.gendarmerie.defense.gouv.fr/.