Met Police suspends use of phone-hacking software over Russian links
Scotland Yard hits pause after US prosecutors trace supposedly American tech back to Moscow
The Metropolitan Police has halted its use of forensic software from Oxygen Forensics pending an investigation into allegations that the company is secretly owned by Russians and operated from Moscow. Scotland Yard confirmed it has ceased using the tools and initiated a comprehensive review following US prosecutors' accusations last week.
Oxygen CEO Lee Reiber and Russian national Oleg Sergeyevich Davydov are accused of concealing the company's ownership structure and location of its software development. The Metropolitan Police signed a three-year contract with Oxygen in December 2023. Digital forensics teams utilize Oxygen's software to extract and analyze data from devices seized during investigations.
A Met spokesperson stated that any impact on ongoing investigations is believed to be minimal, as the software operates on a closed, internet-unconnected system and was only used in less than 0.2% of over 23,000 cases handled by the digital forensics team over the past year. The pause follows US allegations that Oxygen, based in Virginia, presented itself as an independent American company while being controlled by five Russian nationals through a Cyprus-based holding company.
The same individuals were alleged to own Moscow-based MKO Systems, where the actual software development took place. MKO also reportedly sold the technology in Russia to various government agencies, including the Federal Security Service (FSB). Oxygen's US customers included defense and homeland security agencies. The US Department of Justice is not alleging any malicious intent or unauthorized data access by Oxygen's software.
US prosecutors have sought Davydov's extradition from the UK, where he was arrested at Heathrow Airport last month. The National Police Chiefs' Council has advised other UK forces to conduct their own assessments of Oxygen products. Romanian authorities have also begun discontinuing their use of Oxygen software, while Latvia's State Police has suspended it pending further review.
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