What the world really needs is another deep dive into the «Europol Cybercrime Training Competency Framework 2024». Here, the brilliant minds at Europol decided to state the obvious: cybercrime is bad, and we need to stop it. They’ve created this framework to outline the skills necessary to combat cybercrime, because apparently, it’s not enough to just be good with a computer anymore. Who knew?
Moving on to the «Approach and Scope.» It’s where they tell us that the framework isn’t exhaustive. So, in other words, they spent all this time putting together a document that doesn’t cover everything. Fantastic. They also mention that it’s not an endorsement of a specific unit structure, which is code for «please don’t blame us if this doesn’t work out.»
The «Roles» section is where things get spicy. They’ve listed various roles like «Heads of cybercrime units» and «Cybercrime analysts,» each with their own set of required skills. Because, as we all know, the key to stopping cybercriminals is making sure everyone has the right title.
And finally, the «Skill Sets» section. This is where they list all the skills you’ll need to fight cybercrime, from digital forensics to cybercrime legislation. It’s a bit like reading a job description that asks for a candidate who speaks 12 languages, can code in 15 different programming languages, and has climbed Mount Everest—twice.
The document tells us we need to be prepared to tackle cybercrime with a specific set of skills, roles, and a dash of optimism. Because, in the fight against cybercrime, it’s not just about having the right tools; it’s about having a document that says you have the right tools.
unpacking with more detail (PDF)