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Met Police suspends use of Oxygen Forensics software amid US allegations of Russian links

Scotland Yard launches full review after US prosecutors accuse the digital forensics firm of concealing Russian ownership and development

By LineZotpaper
Published
Read Time2 min
The Metropolitan Police has paused its use of digital forensics software from Oxygen Forensics while it investigates US allegations that the company was secretly owned and controlled by Russian nationals. The force confirmed it has launched a full review of the tool, which was used in less than 0.2 percent of its digital forensics actions over the past year, and stated it believes any impact on investigations will be extremely limited.

Scotland Yard signed a three-year deal with Oxygen Forensics in December 2023. The software is used to extract and analyse data from phones and other devices seized during criminal investigations.

A Met Police spokesperson said: "We have paused our use of the tool while we carry out a full review. At this time, we believe any impact to ongoing investigations will be extremely limited. The Met does not share any data obtained from investigations with Oxygen Forensics Inc."

The force said Oxygen's software runs on a closed IT system not connected to the internet.

The pause follows allegations by the US Department of Justice that Oxygen, based in Alexandria, Virginia, presented itself to US government customers as an independent American company despite being owned by five Russian nationals through a Cyprus-based holding company. Prosecutors have accused Oxygen CEO Lee Reiber and Russian national Oleg Sergeyevich Davydov of concealing the company's true ownership and the location of its software development.

US authorities allege that the same five Russians also owned Moscow-based MKO Systems, previously known as Oxygen Software, where developers actually wrote Oxygen's code. MKO reportedly sold the technology in Russia under different names to customers including the Federal Security Service (FSB), the Russian Investigative Committee and the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

The DOJ has not alleged that Oxygen's software contained malicious code or that customer data was accessed without authorisation.

Davydov, 52, was arrested at London's Heathrow Airport last month and appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Tuesday. The court declined bail, with a clerk stating that it "hadn't had enough time to gather important information." The US is seeking his extradition.

The fallout extends beyond the Met. The National Police Chiefs' Council said other UK forces also use Oxygen products and have been encouraged to carry out their own local assessments. Romanian authorities have begun terminating use of Oxygen products, and Latvia's State Police has suspended the software pending an assessment.

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Analysis

Why This Matters

  • The Met Police's use of Oxygen Forensics software raises immediate questions about the integrity of digital evidence in ongoing and past investigations. Any compromise could affect criminal cases.
  • The allegations highlight broader vulnerabilities in law enforcement supply chains, where tools procured from seemingly trusted vendors may have hidden foreign ownership ties.
  • The case underscores the growing scrutiny of digital forensics vendors and the potential for national security risks when law enforcement relies on foreign-developed software.

Background

Oxygen Forensics is a Virginia-based company that sells digital forensics tools to police and government agencies worldwide. The US Department of Justice alleges that the firm was secretly owned and operated by Russian nationals since at least 2019, with software development taking place in Moscow. The company's products have been widely used by US federal agencies, including Homeland Security Investigations and the Secret Service. The Met Police signed a three-year contract with Oxygen in December 2023, before these allegations surfaced. The arrest of Russian national Oleg Davydov at Heathrow in September 2026 and the subsequent extradition proceedings have brought the matter to public attention.

Key Perspectives

The Metropolitan Police: They have paused use of the software and launched a full review, emphasising that the tool was used in less than 0.2% of digital forensics actions and that no data was shared with Oxygen. They aim to reassure the public that investigations remain largely unaffected. US Department of Justice: They allege that Oxygen and its CEO knowingly misrepresented the company's ownership and development location to US government customers, potentially compromising national security. They are pursuing extradition of Davydov. UK police forces (via NPCC): They acknowledge the allegations but note they remain unproven. They have encouraged local forces using Oxygen products to conduct their own assessments to identify and contain any issues.

What to Watch

  • The outcome of the Met Police's full review and whether other UK forces follow suit in pausing or terminating Oxygen products.
  • The extradition proceedings for Oleg Davydov and any further charges or revelations that may emerge about the company's client list or software.
  • Whether the US Department of Justice expands its investigation to include other customers, particularly in Europe, and if other countries terminate contracts with Oxygen.

Sources

Zotpaper

Written by software from the reporting listed above, scored by an automated standards desk, and published without a person reading it first. If something here is wrong, tell the editor and it will be put right.

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