The Department of Combating Cybercrime of the Faculty № 4 (Cyberpolice) of Kharkiv National University of Internal Affairs is a basic structural unit of the University, which conducts educational, methodological and research activities to provide fundamental technical training of qualified specialists for the National Police of Ukraine and training students in the field of information technology. The staff of the Department are involved in conducting classes during the initial professional training of police officers.

History of the department

On 1 April 1995, the Department of "Special Equipment" was established at the University of Internal Affairs (Kharkiv). On 01.04.1999, on the basis of this department, the Department of "Information Protection and Special Equipment" of the Faculty No. 3 - Management and Computer Science of the University of Internal Affairs appeared, which on 24.06.2006 was reorganised into the Department of "Information Security" and was subordinated to the Faculty of Psychology, Management, Social and Information Technologies of Kharkiv National University of Internal Affairs.

In June 2013, the Department was reorganised into the Department of "Information Protection" and became a part of the Faculty of Training for the Units of Combating Cybercrime and Human Trafficking. In August 2016, the department received a new name - Cyber Security.

In June 2019, as a result of the unification of the Department of Information Technology (which was created in February 2017 by merging the Department of Information Security of Faculty No. 4 with the Department of Information Technology and Information Protection of Faculty No. 6) and the Department of Cybersecurity of Faculty No. 4, the Department of Information Technology and Cybersecurity of Faculty No. 4 was created.

In July 2021, the Department of Information Technology and Cybersecurity of the Faculty № 4 was divided into 2 departments:

- Department of Combating Cybercrime of the Faculty № 4;

- Department of Cybersecurity and DATA-technologies of the Faculty № 6.

Educational work

Scientific and pedagogical staff of the Department lectures disciplines for students, cadets and part-time students studying at KhNUIA at Faculties № 1-6 in all specialties, as well as for students of the Institute of Postgraduate Education. Disciplines lectured by specialists of the Department cover the areas of modern information technology, information support of the National Police of Ukraine, information security of law enforcement. While studying the disciplines of the department, students and cadets master the skills of using modern computer technology, programming, development and use of databases, WEB-programming and decision support systems.

The Department of Combating Cybercrime is a graduating department in the speciality 125 "Cybersecurity and Information Protection" and also provides training in the speciality 081 "Law" for investigative and operational units of the National Police of Ukraine involved in combating cybercrime. The academic staff of the Department supervises the educational practice and internships of university cadets studying in the speciality 125 "Cybersecurity".

One of the priority areas of the Department is the training of qualified specialists for the National Police of Ukraine, who are focused on combating technically complex crimes. Cadets study the latest methods of using computer technology in operational and investigative activities; much attention is paid to the study of modern information technology. The acquired knowledge is used by graduates during their service in the operational units of the National Police of Ukraine and expert units of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine involved in combating cybercrime.

Scientific and pedagogical staff of the Department take part in conducting courses of professional initial training and advanced training of patrol police, cyber police, investigation and other units of the National Police of Ukraine.

In its work, the Department constantly maintains contacts with territorial units of cyberpolice, criminal analysis, investigation, technical protection of information of the National Police of Ukraine, as well as with forensic units of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine. The Department actively cooperates with the Department of Information and Analytical Support of MDNP in Kharkiv region and with the Department of Artificial Intelligence of Kharkiv National University of Radio Electronics in the development and implementation of innovative approaches to police interaction with the population based on modern information technologies (police.kh.ua portal), including analytical support of innovative means of criminal analysis within the RICAS project.

The staff of the Department is involved in field trips, training, consulting to employees of these units, as well as involved as specialists in conducting investigative (investigative) activities.

Scientific work

The main directions of the scientific work of the Department are:

• methods of conducting examinations during the investigation of cybercrime;
• use of information technologies in operational and investigative and investigative activities;
• creation of a complete information security system and information security management system;
• disclosure of criminal offences committed with the use of crypto assets;
• development of security policies for computer systems;
• computer security audit of the organization;
• development and implementation of information security systems;
• organization of technical protection of information.

The Department constantly conducts educational work with cadets, operates a scientific group "Technology in the Service of the Police", where cadets and students manufacture devices in the field of information protection, create programs in this area, participate in scientific conferences, competitions, contests educational institutions, publish scientific articles, interact with employees of practical units in order to coordinate their developments with the needs of practical police units.

Material and technical supplies of the educational process

All classrooms of the Department are equipped with multimedia. The Department has two classes on special police equipment, a training laboratory on technical protection of information.

Currently, the staff of the Department supports the work of four computer classes, namely:

1. The Centre for Research and Analysis in Cyberspace is a volunteer-based centre whose participants and consultants are cadets and university staff. The main focus of the centre's activities is to study issues related to combating cybercrime and monitoring cyberspace;
2. Training grounds (classes):

• on combating crimes in the field of human trafficking committed with the use of high information technologies;
• to counter cyber attacks;
• on information security

Interaction with other organizations

The Department has a scientific cadet group ISACA StudentGroup KNUIA, which is officially recognized by ISACA (International Professional Association of Specialists in IT Audit, IT Consulting, IT Risk Management and Information Security).

Academic staff of the Department participates in training events conducted under the auspices of the OSCE Project Coordinator in Ukraine and ICITAP of the US Department of Justice, USAID to raise awareness of the National Police of Ukraine in the field of:

• countering cybercrime;
• counteraction to crimes with payment instruments;
• combating crimes in the field of human trafficking committed with the use of information technology;
• information security.

As part of cooperation with public organisations, the Department staff conducts training sessions with students of secondary schools in Ukrainian cities on the prevention of human trafficking, combating cyberbullying, and cyber hygiene. The staff of the department actively participate in the development of the Science and Security Science Park of Kharkiv National University of Internal Affairs.

Since 2020, the department has been cooperating with the Ukrainian School of Government (usg.org.ua). As part of the joint work, several thousand civil servants have been trained in cyber hygiene. In 2021-2022, the Department's staff took part in training and conducting a specialised course on building an information security management system for the senior management of ministries and agencies, and in 2023 they were involved in the creation of a training manual "Training for Police Units of Preventive Activities, Investigation and Inquiry, Cyber Police on Child Protection in Cyberspace".