Department of Defense Cyber Crime Center (DC3) > DC3 > About Us

DC3 History

December 1, 2018:
Mr. Jeffrey D. Specht is appointed the Executive Director of DC3. Mr. Specht was the Air Force Office of Special Investigations Executive Director prior to joining DC3.
March 16, 2018:
DC3 Cyber Investigations Training Academy officially became DC3 Cyber Training Academy (DC3/CTA).
November 2017:
Many of DC3’s directorates underwent a name change:
• DCFL became the DC3 Cyber Forensics Laboratory (DC3/CFL)
• DCITA became the DC3 Cyber Investigations Training Academy (DC3/CITA)
• DCCI became DC3 Technical Solutions Development (DC3/TSD)
• DVDP became DC3 Vulnerability Disclosure Program (DC3/VDP)
• AG became DC3 Analytical Group (DC3/AG)
• DCISE became DC3 DoD-Defense Industrial Base Collaborative Information Sharing Environment (DC3/DCISE)
November 21, 2016:
Secretary of Defense Ash Carter authorizes the establishment of the Defense Vulnerability Disclosure Program (DVDP) to utilize private-sector cybersecurity researchers to scan public-facing DoD web sites for vulnerabilities. DC3/ VDP was born from this authorization.
December 17, 2012 – November 1, 2013:
DC3 held its eighth Digital Forensics Challenge. Due to budget constraints, this is the last challenge held by DC3.
• Number of teams participating: 1,254
• Packets submitted for consideration: 317
• Winner: Northrop Grumman, United States
January 20-27, 2012:
DC3 hosted the 9th DoD Cyber Crime Conference in Atlanta, Georgia.
December 15, 2011 – November 1, 2012:
DC3 held its seventh Digital Forensics Challenge. Participants included teams from 50 states and 52 countries.
• Number of teams participating: 1,209
• Packets submitted for consideration: 188
• Winner: Northrop Grumman, United States
January 21-28, 2011:
DC3 hosted the 8th DoD Cyber Crime Conference in Atlanta, Georgia.
December 15, 2010 – November 1, 2011:
DC3 held its sixth Digital Forensics Challenge. Participants included teams from 50 states and 52 countries.
• Number of teams participating: 1,147
• Packets submitted for consideration: 174
• Winner: LoneWolf, Sabanci University, Turkey
January 22-29, 2010:
DC3 hosted the 7th DoD Cyber Crime Conference in St. Louis, Missouri.
• Total attendees: 1,104
• Total Trained: 501
December 15, 2009 – November 1, 2010:
DC3 held its fifth Digital Forensics Challenge. Participants included teams from 48 states and 53 countries.
• Number of teams participating: 1,010
• Packets submitted for consideration: 71
• Winner DFRC –Seoul, Korea
January 26-30, 2009:
DC3 hosted the 6th DoD Cyber Crime Conference in St. Louis, Missouri.
• Total attendees: 1,079
• Total Trained: 400
February 4, 2009 – November 2, 2009:
DC3 held its fourth Digital Forensics Challenge. Participants included teams from 49 states and 61 countries. • Number of teams participating: 1,153
• Packets submitted for consideration: 44
• Winner: DFRC – CIST, Korea University (Seoul, South Korea)
February 1, 2008 – November 1, 2008:
DC3 held its third Digital Forensics Challenge. Participants included teams from 40 states and 26 countries.
• Number of teams participating: 199
• Packets submitted for consideration: 20
• Winner: Fog Dogs – Naval Postgraduate School, United States
February 1, 2008:
DCISE operations commenced as the result of a months-long collaborative effort between the Defense Industrial Base Cyber Security Task Force (DIBCS TF), DC3, and other agencies.
January 14-18, 2008:
DC3 hosted the 5th DoD Cyber Crime Conference in St. Louis, Missouri.
• Total attendees: 906
• Total Trained: 389
January 8, 2008:
The NCIJTF-AG was created and added to DC3 with the release of NSPD-54 and HSPD-23.
September 2007:
The Council on Occupational Education (COE) accredited DCITA, officially making the program a training academy.
April 13, 2007 – November 1, 2007:
DC3 held the second Digital Forensics Challenge.
• Number of teams participating: 126
• Packets submitted for consideration: 11
• Winner: Cyber Warriors - Air Force Institute of Technology, United States
January 23-26, 2007:
DC3 hosted the 4th DoD Cyber Crime Conference in St. Louis, Missouri.
• Total attendees: 708
• Total Trained: 247
August 8, 2006 – December 1, 2006:
DC3 held its first Digital Forensics Challenge, a free, online, international competition consisting of individual progressive-level exercises. DC3, its partners, and corporate sponsors worked together to bring the challenge to the public. The challenge’s purpose was to pioneer new investigative tools, techniques, and methodologies.
• Number of teams participating: 140
• Packets submitted for consideration: 21
• Winner: AccessData, United States
October 1, 2006:
DCITP officially became known as the Defense Computer Investigations Training Academy (DCITA).
January 10-13, 2006:
DC3 hosted the 3rd DoD Cyber Crime Conference in Palm Harbor, Florida.
• Total attendees: 605
• Total Trained: 110
September 8, 2005:
The American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors/Laboratory Accreditation Board (ASCLD/LAB) accredited the DCFL as part of its nascent digital forensics regime.
January 10-14, 2005:
DC3 hosted the 2nd DoD Cyber Crime Conference in Palm Harbor, Florida.
• Total attendees: 550
• Total Trained: 75
April 5, 2004:
Steven D. Shirley assumed the office of Executive Director of DC3 having been appointed earlier on January 22, 2004.
December 8-14, 2003:
DC3 hosted the 1st DoD Cyber Crime Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada.
• Total attendees: 491
• Total Trained: 0
August 8, 2003:
Colonel Steven D. Shirley, Vice Commander, AFOSI was appointed as acting Executive Director of DC3.
December 13, 2002:
SA Preston W. Thomas, NCIS became the acting Executive Director of DC3.
May 2002:
The Defense Cyber Crime Institute (DCCI) was created as a result of a DC3 strategic planning session. DCFL accreditation required a separate research and development entity.
November 19, 2001:
Mr. Philip Reitinger became the first Executive Director.
March 1, 2001:
The name Department of Defense Cyber Crime Center (DC3) was adopted, encompassing DCITP and DCFL, pursuant to Department of Defense Directive 5055.13E.
September 27, 1999:
DCFL & DCITP were dedicated by Christopher Mellon, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Security and Information Operations.
August 1999:
First time DCITP classes are held in Building 911 (all previous classes were held in a rented classroom).
August 1998:
The Working Group’s plan was approved, and AFOSI established Operating Location – Defense Computer Forensics Laboratory (OL-DCFL). The Defense Computer Investigations Training Program (DCITP) held its first classes at the end of the 1998 fiscal year. DCFL employs 26 personnel including 16 examiners.
February 10, 1998:
The Honorable John Hamre, the Deputy Secretary of Defense directed the Air Force through the Defense Reform Initiative Directive #27 to establish a joint Department of Defense Computer Forensics Laboratory and Training program.
• The computer lab would perform counterintelligence, criminal and fraud computer evidence processing, analysis, and diagnostics.
• The training program would provide computer investigation training to relevant individuals and Department of Defense elements.
The Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI), in coordination with the Defense Criminal Investigative Organization (DCIO) Enterprise-wide Working Group, begins development of a plan for the implementation of the lab and training program and submit this plan to the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Command, Control, Communications, and Intelligence (OASD C3I) by March 30, 1998. Furthermore, the DCIO Enterprise Working Group would review consolidation of other forensic activities.
April 1996:
Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) co-chaired an Office of the Secretary of Defense-level working group to determine the feasibility of creating a joint Computer Investigations Training Program and Computer Forensic Laboratory. This initiative was undertaken after recognition of the potential impact that network reliability would have on the DoD.

DC3 History