Felipe Portero

Law Enforcement Agencies (LEA) demonstrated remarkable agility in adapting to the rise of digital forensics. However, progress has significantly slowed since the advent of the "Cyber Tsunami." This slowdown is rooted in the overwhelming challenge of translating powerful intelligence gathered in the digital domain into the actual, legally admissible attribution required for successful prosecution. Criminals have aggressively migrated to a plethora of encrypted platforms, including Telegram, Tox, Session, and Tor, and rely heavily on criminal infrastructure and a large volume of forums, creating an unprecedented barrier to attribution.
Have we reached an operational plateau? This session explores the critical juncture facing modern LEA. It argues that niche and novel capabilities are now the only means to achieve that final push for attribution. We will discuss the new and often complex problems these advanced capabilities introduce, particularly concerning the evidential pathway. Crucially, we will address the resulting question for agencies without these capabilities: what is left for obtaining attribution when conventional methods fall short?