Uncovering Wrongdoers in the Underworld of the Darknet: A Prosecutor's Perspective
Jana Ringwald is the head prosecutor at Germany's Central Office for Fighting Cybercrime based in Frankfurt. In the "So techt Deutschland" podcast, she talks about her career, thrilling Darknet investigations, and the hurdles of prosecuting digital crimes.
Initially, Ringwald studied law and history and stumbled upon the cybercrime department. She had to get a hang of the intricate technical processes and investigative tactics. "I'm still baffled by how I managed to do it. I was drawn to Darknet technology, but also cryptocurrencies and blockchain," says Ringwald, recounting her involvement in groundbreaking cases like the Darknet marketplace "Wall Street Market".
"Wall Street Market" was the second-largest Darknet marketplace. The platform had over a million users and over 5,000 vendors, primarily dealing in drugs, stolen data, fake documents, and malware.
Often, the police's computer experts leave messages on the criminal websites - a "Secure Banner", where they usually try to poke fun at the people targeted. On the other hand, the investigators are frequently surprised by the sophistication of the hackers' methods. "The coding is impressive. But of course, we still do our job," says the cyber prosecutor.
Cybercrime isn't just an abstract concept for Ringwald anymore - it impacts everyone's daily life. "Each cyber attack and digital crime is traced back to individuals - their strengths, weaknesses, and unique stories," says the lawyer. Her job is to capture these offenders and expose their activities.
The biggest challenge is modernizing the justice system to meet the digital age, as even minor crimes like bike theft leave digital footprints. Therefore, Ringwald advocates for increased collaboration between companies, citizens, and the police and public prosecutor's office. "We're making conscious efforts to lower the barrier for reaching out to us and providing the necessary data - usually, it's just some basic info," argues Ringwald.
Jana Ringwald was interviewed by Frauke Holzmeier and Andreas Laukat. The entire conversation can be listened to in the podcast "So techt Deutschland".*
The economy plays a significant role in Jana Ringwald's mission, as she advocates for increased collaboration between companies to combat cybercrimes effectively. The digital age has made it essential for the justice system to adapt, as even minor crimes like bike theft have digital footprints, impacting the economy.
