The United States Army Seeks Cryptocurrency Tracing Tools for its Investigative Division
The United States Army is taking steps to equip its principal investigative division with cutting-edge cryptocurrency tracing tools. In a recent Statement of Work (SOW) released on July 10, the Army’s Criminal Investigation Command’s Major Cybercrime Unit (MCU) has initiated a process to solicit bids from potential contractors.
Rather than traditional software or hardware solutions, the Army is specifically seeking Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) providers to offer cloud-based applications for tracking cryptocurrency activities. Interested vendors have until July 20 to respond to the Army’s invitation for expressions of interest.
According to the SOW, the US Army Contracting Command-New Jersey (CC-NJ) based at Fort Dix, NJ, is seeking contractors capable of providing a web-based application that can help law enforcement identify and combat illicit activities involving cryptocurrencies such as fraud, extortion, and money laundering.
The Army is not looking to develop a new application from scratch but is interested in existing web-based solutions that can facilitate in-depth investigations into cryptocurrency transactions. These applications must support multi-currency analysis, including popular cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin.
The desired SaaS solution should offer real-time tracking of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrency transactions, including service attribution and identification of transaction patterns and interactions with other entities. Additionally, the application should be able to create unlimited user accounts with unrestricted query capabilities.
To aid in data analysis, the app should include visualization and link analysis tools, as well as the ability to export graphs and generate reports in various formats such as csv, pdf, or image files.
This latest development follows a prior pre-solicitation notice issued by the Army nearly a year ago. The notice indicated that users of the application would be located across the United States and in overseas locations where Computer Crimes Investigation Units (CCIU) are present.
In a separate initiative, the Pentagon previously explored the use of cryptocurrency in a war game scenario focused on domestic civil unrest. Documents obtained by The Intercept outlined a hypothetical situation where a rebellion led by Gen Z individuals utilized cryptocurrency to redistribute stolen funds.
Overall, the US Army’s interest in acquiring advanced cryptocurrency tracing tools underscores the growing importance of combating illicit activities in the digital realm. By leveraging innovative technologies, law enforcement agencies can enhance their capabilities to track and prevent criminal activities involving cryptocurrencies.