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Visa Europe Announces Cybercrime Partnership with University College Dublin

Dublin, 18 November 2010 – Visa Europe, Europe’s leading payment system, today announced a new partnership with the University College Dublin Centre for Cybercrime Investigation (UCD – CCI) to undertake forensic investigation into high tech financial crimes and cybercrime. The partnership will see UCD CCI assist Visa Europe with criminal investigations, R&D to help develop new security features and to support in the development of training courses for judges and prosecutors.

Commenting on the partnership, Valerie Dias, Chief Risk Officer, Visa Europe, said, “Security is fundamental to Visa Europe's business. By keeping the payments system secure, we protect cardholders, retailers and our members.  Fraud and business risk are constantly changing, but we are winning the war against fraud by offering multiple layers of protection.  We have seen a reduction of 19% in 2009 as a result (fraud to sales rate, VE 2009 Annual Results).”

“Cybercrime’s evolving nature calls for enhanced technological education and a commitment to developing a comprehensive approach to online security.  The UCD Centre for Cybercrime Investigation (UCD – CCI) is a unique, world-class education and research centre and we look forward to working collaboratively with them to broaden our knowledge of cybersecurity, cybercrime, computer and network forensics and investigation techniques.”

Dave O’Reilly, UCD Centre for Cybercrime Investigation (UCD – CCI) added, “An increasing number of criminal cases involve the examination of electronic evidence. Law enforcement officers, judges and prosecutors all need the necessary skills and knowledge to bring these cases to a successful conclusion. UCD CCI has a long history of supporting both national and international law enforcement in the investigation of cybercrime and other financial crimes. The establishment of this groundbreaking partnership between UCD CCI and Visa Europe will allow both organisations to support the criminal justice system by providing the knowledge required to face the challenges of the future.”

Cybercrime and high tech financial crime represent new challenges for the law enforcement and judiciary systems across Europe.  This partnership follows UCD’s development of a European Masters Programme on cybercrime investigation. UCD – CCI will work with Visa Europe to develop and offer training courses for judges and prosecutors.

Visa Europe has long standing relationships with both law enforcement agencies and the European Commission on fighting fraud. The partnership with UCD – CCI will ensure that Visa Europe continues to lead industry efforts to combat cybercrime.

About UCD CCI

The UCD Centre for cybercrime Investigation( UCD CCI) is a unique, world-class education and research centre with strong and well-established collaborative relationships with law enforcement and industry.  UCD CCI maintains close links with national and international cybercrime investigation agencies including cybercrime divisions of Interpol and Europol and for more than 15 years, has equipped teams of international cybercrime experts with the skills, knowledge and tools to pre-empt and protect against increasingly serious cybercrime attacks. At the heart of the Centre is a team of expert researchers and educators with unmatched knowledge of cyber security, cybercrime, computer and network forensics, and investigation techniques

For more information visit www.cci.ucd.ie