Encrypted Biometric Search: A Deep Learning Approach to Scalable and Secure Cross-Border Data Exchange

Cross-border collaboration among Law Enforcement Agencies is essential for effective and timely suspect identification, especially when the availability of biometric data varies between agencies. This paper presents a scalable and secure approach for multimodal biometric identification across multiple jurisdictions. Our approach allows Law Enforcement Agencies to combine biometric modalities -facial images, fingerprints, and voice samples- and compare them with collaborating agencies, improving the overall accuracy and effectiveness of suspect identification. By leveraging deep learning models for indexing and comparison, efficient data retrieval was achieved without compromising privacy or security. To ensure the protection of sensitive biometric data, our approach incorporates advanced encryption mechanisms, including Homomorphic Encryption for secure computations and Advanced Encryption Standard (AES encryption) for safeguarding biometric information. Its decentralised architecture allows each Law Enforcement Agency to maintain independent instances of the Deep Learning Indexer and Comparator, minimising risks associated with centralising sensitive data and supporting seamless collaboration between agencies. This approach not only improves the accuracy of suspect identification but also enhances operational efficiency by allowing Law Enforcement Agencies to query and share biometric data securely across borders.