High-performance, kiosk-solution for forensic darknet analysis to gain cyber threat intelligence for companies and greatly enhance efficiency and capabilities of European investigation authorities

Project Information

DAN

Grant agreement ID: 885845

DOI

10.3030/885845

Project closed

EC signature date 20 December 2019

Start date 1 October 2019

End date 31 March 2020

Funded under

• INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Innovation In SMEs

Total cost

€ 71 429,00

EU contribution

€ 50 000,00

Coordinated by

MH SERVICE GMBH
Germany

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - DAN (High-performance, kiosk-solution for forensic darknet analysis to gain cyber threat intelligence for companies and greatly enhance efficiency and capabilities of European investigation authorities)

Reporting period: 2019-10-01 to 2020-03-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

With 25 years’ experience, mh SERVICE GmbH is one of today’s leading providers and suppliers of products and services related to IT forensics. mh is Europe’s only forensics supplier with its own hardware development and manufacturing departments.
The Dark Web is a haven for criminals. It has become a forum and marketplace for weapons, drugs, organs, illicit pornography, software exploits, stolen private data, passwords, credit card details, counterfeit products and money. Illegal services are offered, like phishing, cyber-attacks, murder and rape for hire and money laundering. Criminal investigation authorities began to investigate cases of crimes and terrorism in the Dark Web, but struggle to access, handle and analyse the immense amount of data, and urgently need an isolated solution to acquire solid evidence legally applicable in court. For corporations, the potential economic and image damage of cyber-attacks is extensive. They search adequate solutions to acquire cyber threat intelligence, to identify threats, enhance cyber defence and allow a fast and effective response. Up to now, commercial state-of-the-art solutions force users to into 3rd party services or to access crawled data on online clouds. mh SERVICE developed DAN, a Kiosk solution for darknet analysis. It includes high-performance hardware, pre-installed and pre-configured intuitive software, as well as user training and seminars. The acquired data is isolated from the possibility of foreign access or manipulation by third persons to ensure the chain of evidence for investigation authorities and privacy for companies.
The objective was to perform a feasibility study, to confirm the technological, practical and economic feasibility of the system. The evaluation of the market and competitive landscape was the most important point in this feasibility assessment, but in addition the goal was to develop an implementation plan and elaborate the business plan and commercialisation strategy based on the insights generated in the SME Instrument Phase 1 project.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

During the action, a feasibility study was conducted evaluating the technological, practical and economic feasibility of the system. The feasibility study focused on assessing market and competition landscape. Moreover, technological design and features were verified by involving potential customers in exhibitions, events and own forensic trainings, as well as in discussions with our resellers. An implementation plan was elaborated to further develop DAN and introduce it into the market. The results of the feasibility study were used to verify and elaborate the business plan and the commercialisation strategy.
Note regarding the COVID-19 outbreak: The feasibility study was finished just before the COVID-19 outbreak. Therefore, the implications of this pandemic onto the market and onto mh SERVICE and its employees as well as on potential customers had not been taken into account.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

mh SERVICE developed DAN, a kiosk solution for darkness analysis. It includes powerful hardware, pre-installed and preconfigured intuitive software as well as user training and seminars. The collected data is isolated from the possibility of external access or manipulation by third parties to ensure the chain of evidence for investigating authorities and data protection for companies. Standardized interfaces enable the secure exchange of Darknet intelligence by cooperating foreign or domestic investigative partners, other subsidiaries or the support of service providers. To date, all state-of-the-art commercial solutions force users to use third party services or access crawled data in their online clouds. This is why the DAN kiosk solution is unique and currently the only suitable option for investigative agencies.
With a rapidly growing global threat intelligence market (US$3.02 billion in 2016, CAGR 2017-25: 17.4%) and a total available market for DAN of €755 million, we conservatively expect a DAN sales potential of €10 million in 2023, with an additional 14 jobs for a team of 43 highly qualified and experienced employees in 2023. Our goal is to revolutionise forensic Darknet analysis and become the provider of the global standard solution for darkness threat detection. Our goal is to make the fight against crime, white-collar crime, cyber-attacks and terrorism more efficient and successful, thus protecting the freedom and security of Europe, its economy and its citizens!

Market segments for DAN of mh SERVICE GmbH