Siren adopts ISO GQL to boost graph search for investigators
Siren has announced it is adopting the ISO-standard Graph Query Language (GQL) to enhance its graph intelligence and search capabilities for investigators.
GQL, published as the world's first ISO-standard for querying graph data in 2024, provides a standardised method for searching, analysing, and traversing information in graph databases, similar to how SQL functions with relational databases.
Siren's integration of GQL makes it the first investigative platform to embed this standard with deep search features, aiming to simplify and consolidate complex investigative tasks involving large and disparate datasets.
Industry consensus
According to Siren, GQL adoption signals a significant milestone for the technology sector by bringing what it describes as clarity and unity to the rapidly evolving field of graph databases.
John Randles, Chief Executive Officer of Siren, commented, "We've believed in the power of graph analytics since day one. Now, with GQL becoming the industry standard, we know we can exclusively give our users the best of both worlds, deep graph reasoning and seamless integration with relational search, on a foundation the entire industry can build on."
Graph analytics has become increasingly important for users seeking to analyse complex relationships between data points, often to uncover patterns relevant to security, investigations, and fraud detection. Siren's approach is to allow users to connect different types of data within a unified interface.
Unified queries
Renaud Delbru, Ph.D., Founder and Chief Scientific Officer at Siren, said, "What we are doing is truly unique."
GQL provided the foundation we needed to unify three critical paradigms, full-text search, relational queries, and graph traversals, all into a single interface. Where traditional methods require switching between different systems or query languages, investigators can now search text, join structured data, and traverse relationships within the same query.
Delbru, who has been closely involved in Siren's research and development activities, further explained the significance of the unified system as it relates to the firm's future plans involving artificial intelligence (AI): "This unified approach is foundational to our vision, powering initiatives like K9 and future intelligent agents that need to reason across all types of data simultaneously."
Workflow and performance
With GQL's integration, Siren aims to improve workflow efficiency, stating that investigative queries which previously took hours can now be executed in minutes, and in some cases, queries that took minutes can be completed in seconds.
The company also said that GQL allows analysts to write more complex, targeted queries about relationships and paths in data, while maintaining compatibility with structured, unstructured, and open-source data. Siren users can now build visual link analyses, combine graph and keyword searches, and benefit from smarter pathfinding and analytic operations all within the same platform.
Practical impact for investigators
According to Siren, the technical advances brought by GQL are expected to benefit not only data engineers but also front-line analysts and investigators in areas such as law enforcement, cyber threat analysis, financial crime investigation, and national security operations.
Through GQL, Siren users can ask more nuanced questions, build visual representations of complex data relationships, and use a single interface to blend graph searches with conventional relational queries.
Future direction
Siren noted that standards-compliance through the ISO-backed GQL provides a foundation for both current investigative needs and future expansion, including AI-powered investigative agents.
The company stated that its goal is to serve the growing demand for more transparent, efficient, and sustainable investigation tools in environments managing complex, connected data. Siren's founding in Galway, Ireland, and its global client base in law enforcement, national security, and commercial intelligence, were highlighted by the company as evidence of its reach within the investigative technology sector.
