ZENTRALE STELLE FÜR INFORMATIONSTECHNIK IM SICHERHEITSBEREICH

Their core work

ZITiS is Germany's federal Central Office for Information Technology in the Security Sector, providing technical capabilities to law enforcement and security agencies. They specialize in digital forensics, cryptanalysis, surveillance analytics, and AI-driven tools for combating organized crime, cybercrime, and terrorism. In H2020 projects, they contribute deep expertise in areas like mobile forensics, steganalysis, speech analytics, and federated learning applied to criminal investigations and child exploitation detection.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

ZITiS entered H2020 in 2019 with a focus on established forensic disciplines — mobile device forensics and speech analytics for criminal network analysis. By 2021, their portfolio shifted toward AI-driven detection methods (steganalysis, computer vision, NLP) and broader cybersecurity resilience, reflecting both the agency's growing technical ambitions and the EU's increasing investment in AI for security. The progression shows a clear move from traditional digital forensics tools toward machine-learning-powered investigative capabilities.

ZITiS is moving toward AI and machine learning applications in law enforcement, particularly privacy-preserving techniques like federated learning — expect future work at the intersection of AI, ethics, and security.

How they like to work

ZITiS operates exclusively as a participant, never coordinating projects, which is consistent with its role as a government technical agency that contributes specialized expertise rather than leading research agendas. With 134 unique partners across 27 countries, they work in large, well-connected consortia typical of EU security projects. Their broad partner network suggests they are a trusted contributor that multiple consortium leaders want on their team.

With 134 unique consortium partners across 27 countries, ZITiS has an exceptionally wide network for an organization with only 7 projects — a result of participating in large security consortia that bring together law enforcement agencies, research institutes, and technology providers across Europe.

What sets them apart

ZITiS occupies a rare position as a German federal agency dedicated specifically to providing IT capabilities for security and law enforcement. Unlike academic partners who bring theoretical research, ZITiS brings the operational perspective of an end-user agency — they know what tools investigators actually need in the field. This makes them an ideal requirements-setter and pilot partner for any consortium developing security technologies intended for real-world deployment by European law enforcement.

Highlights from their portfolio

• FORMOBILE
  Largest project by funding (EUR 862K), addressing the complete forensic chain from mobile phone seizure to courtroom evidence — a critical operational gap for law enforcement.
• GRACE
  Tackles child exploitation using federated learning and AI, combining technical innovation with one of the most sensitive and high-priority areas in law enforcement.
• UNCOVER
  Second-largest funding (EUR 692K), focused on the niche but strategically important field of steganalysis — detecting hidden communications that criminals use to evade surveillance.