International Consultants in providing theoretical and practical expertise relevant to countering cybercrimes

Background:

The development of information and communication technologies (ICT) has skyrocketed in the past decade globally. Their wide availability immensely impacts daily business processes regardless of the field of activity or lifestyle. Besides, these technologies have become an integral part of most people's daily routines across the globe. However, apparent advantages are overshadowed by the increased use rates of these technologies for criminal purposes. People's offline routine's transformation rate to an online dimension catapulted as societies look for more efficient evolution processes and respond to contemporary challenges. It led to increased rates of criminal activities that take an immense toll on businesses and the everyday activities of ordinary law-abiding citizens.

These challenges, in large part, fall on the shoulders of law enforcement agencies, which are forced to face cyber criminals in unequal battles when there are no clear front lines, and, most of the time, no proper skill nor toolset is at hand. Dealing with cybercrimes, they face a tough adversary that is not visible and may commit crimes sitting at a computer or having a smartphone in one hand and a coffee cup in the other. Simultaneously, societies' economic losses from these activities are inconceivable. When the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, much of the world’s population moved online, accelerating a digital transformation. Interpol reports a substantial surge of cyberattacks during the COVID pandemic.

Moreover, cybercrime is a complex phenomenon, and countering it requires consolidated efforts and comprehensive approaches not just by the law enforcement systems themselves but the involvement of all relevant stakeholders through a “whole-of-society” approach. Simultaneously, in the context of cybercrimes, law enforcement agencies are highly dependent on resources, which are still not available in proper amounts, nor are modern investigative skills and competencies. Nor the legal frameworks are in place to streamline the general strategies to counter cybercrimes. Therefore, these modern-age criminals face a shallow risk of being caught and yet are highly rewarded with their primary objective of more significant enrichment.

Experts (such as Cybersecurity Ventures) expect global cybercrime costs to grow by 15 percent per year over the next years, reaching USD 10.5 trillion annually by 2025, up from USD 3 trillion in 2015. It represents the greatest transfer of economic wealth in history, risks the incentives for innovation and investment, is exponentially more extensive than the damage inflicted from natural disasters in a year, and will be more profitable than the global trade of all major illegal drugs combined. Therefore, it is evident that a multi-stakeholder approach is needed to tackle these modern threats, including Central Asia.

Over the past few years, Kazakhstan has integrated into the global information community at an impressive pace. The Digital Kazakhstan state program drives the rapid digitization of Kazakhstan's economy, and it has increased the country's online presence dramatically but also exposed its weaknesses. Kazakhstan currently has one of the highest global rates of cyber infiltration (since 2010).

The borderless nature of cybercrime means that law enforcement agencies face challenges in responding effectively to this form of crime due to the limitations of cross-border investigation and diversity in capabilities across the globe. Kazakhstan strives to better integrate with the global community of countries contributing to international cybersecurity. At the same time, there is a relatively limited scope of projects on countering cybercrimes in Kazakhstan implemented by other than OSCE international organizations.

OSCE Programme Office in Astana’s activities aim to address the issue of cybercrimes, but also crimes committed through ICT misuse, including cyber fraud, child sexual exploitation in cyberspace, gender-based cyber violence, cyber money laundering, trafficking of illicit drugs, their online trade, and violent extremism leading to terrorism. They are implemented through a comprehensive approach that includes plans to provide legislative development support, introduction of a training strategy into the work of law enforcement educational institutions through active involvement in the project the direct beneficiaries – instructors from these institutions – and training of instructors and active duty law enforcement specialists.

When implemented, such approach shall enhance international co-operation based on a solid domestic legislative base and professional and technically well-informed specialists. These activities will also contribute to Kazakhstan’s sooner accession to the Budapest Convention through the legislative development support, which in turn may include provisions on the necessary changes that must be introduced into Kazakhstan’s relevant legal framework to comply with the requirements for becoming a part to the Budapest Convention. It will strengthen the interagency co-operation in Kazakhstan based on a shared understanding of the cyber threats and the high importance of building corresponding barriers to address them. It will also provide solid grounds for implementing structural changes in the law enforcement system. It will improve the training practices by introducing the new training strategy at law enforcement educational institutions. These activities will enhance instructors’ and active-duty law enforcement specialists’ competencies. Lastly, such activities will enhance public resilience towards cybercrimes.

Objective of Assignment:

The OSCE Programme Office in Astana/Politico-Military Dimension, therefore, requires the services of experienced international consultants in providing theoretical and practical expertise relevant to countering cybercrimes.

Duration of Assignment:
August 2023 and onwards based on the POiA project activities’ implementation plan.

Tasks and Responsibilities:
Under the overall supervision of the Senior Politico-Military Officer, the successful candidate will be tasked with the following duties:

1. To provide expertise, know-how, instruments, and practice in the area of countering cybercrimes:

This involves offering your specialized knowledge and practical skills to help understand and tackle cybercrimes. It includes explaining the nature and types of cybercrimes, advising on the technologies and methodologies used in these crimes, suggesting tools and approaches to investigate and prevent them, and sharing best practices for tackling them. This could also include providing technical guidance in digital forensics, cybersecurity, network analysis, and other areas relevant to cybercrime. It is important that this information be disseminated in an accessible and actionable manner to different stakeholders including law enforcement agencies, policymakers, and the public.

2. To take part in cybercrime-related project activities organized by the Office in the areas of crimes specified in the background section:

This means participating in the various initiatives launched by the Office that deal with the specific types of cybercrimes identified. This could be research projects, awareness campaigns, legal reforms, and so on. Participation might involve advising on project strategy, helping to execute tasks, liaising with different project stakeholders, monitoring project progress, and contributing to project evaluations.

3. Contribute to the development of training strategies and methodologies, and training of cybercrime instructors of the law enforcement educational institutions:

This task involves developing a robust curriculum for training law enforcement personnel about cybercrimes. The curriculum should be current, comprehensive, and practical, and it should employ effective teaching methodologies. This could involve a mix of lectures, case studies, practical exercises, simulations, and more. Once the curriculum is developed, the expert would be involved in consultations with host-country’s stakeholders to align the developed curriculum with the current needs, and further train instructors who would then go on to train law enforcement officers. The expert could also directly train some officers, particularly in specialized or advanced areas.

4. Contribute to the activities related to the update and development of new legal strategic documents related to cybercrimes in light of the future accession to Budapest Convention:

The Budapest Convention is a treaty that seeks to harmonize national laws on cybercrime, improve investigative techniques, and increase cooperation among nations. To prepare for accession to this Convention, the cybercrime expert would work on drafting, reviewing, and revising the country's legal framework related to cybercrime. This might involve drafting new laws, amending existing ones, creating guidelines for law enforcement, developing legal strategies for dealing with cybercrime, and more.

5. To participate in the development of cybercrime prevention strategies:

Here, the expert will work on formulating strategies to proactively prevent cybercrimes. This might involve understanding and predicting cybercrime trends, identifying vulnerabilities that criminals might exploit, and suggesting measures to address these vulnerabilities. It could also involve developing public awareness campaigns, suggesting technological solutions, collaborating with tech companies and ISPs, advising on public policy, and more. The expert would likely work with a wide range of stakeholders on this, including law enforcement, government departments, businesses, and non-profit organizations.

Deliverables:

– Deliverables and performance indicators will be developed as per specific tasks relevant for a particular POiA’s project activity.

Necessary Qualifications:

– Professional experience in ICT-related field;

– Minimum 5 years of relevant working experience on national and international level in ICT;

– Professional fluency in English, and Russian.

– Theoretical knowledge and/or practical experience in legal review and drafting legal documents;

– Working experience in governmental institutions, particularly in law enforcement, or private companies dealing with cybercrime-related affairs. Experience working with international organizations is an asset;

– Good knowledge of rule of law and law enforcement issues in Kazakhstan;

– Organizational and analytical skills;

– Cultural, religious, ethnic, and gender sensitivity;

– Ability to work under pressure, under minimum supervision, and respect deadlines.

Remuneration Package:

Remuneration will be based on the selected consultant's/expert's qualifications, experience, the tasks and deliverables for this position and in accordance with the OSCE established rates. Payment will be transferred in EUR to the bank account of the consultant.

If you wish to apply for this position, please use the OSCE's online application link found under https://vacancies.osce.org/.

The OSCE retains the discretion to re-advertise/re-post the vacancy, to cancel the recruitment or to offer an appointment with a modified job description or for a different duration.

Only those candidates who are selected to participate in the subsequent stages of recruitment will be contacted.

The OSCE is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all religious, ethnic and social backgrounds to apply to become a part of the Organization.

Candidates should be aware that OSCE officials shall conduct themselves at all times in a manner befitting the status of an international civil servant. This includes avoiding any action which may adversely reflect on the integrity, independence and impartiality of their position and function as officials of the OSCE. The OSCE is committed to applying the highest ethical standards in carrying out its mandate. For more information on the values set out in OSCE Competency Model, please see https://jobs.osce.org/resources/document/our-competency-model.

Please be aware that the OSCE does not request payment at any stage of the application and review process. Additional Information