The message from the Defense Cyber Crime Center about the future of its annual digital forensics competition is clear: Game Over.
In a Twitter posting Oct. 8, the Defense Cyber Crime Center, or DC3, a Maryland-based organization within the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, said the government shutdown and the lack of clarity on future funding has forced the agency to cancel the annual DC3 Forensics Challenge, a free, international competition designed to pioneer new investigative tools, techniques and methodologies.
“We regret to announce that owing to current fiscal uncertainty, DC3 will not conduct the 2014 DC3 Challenge – 2013 will likely be our last,” the tweet stated. The agency has since confirmed on its website it will not hold the competition next year.
The agency did not respond to FedScoop’s request for comment by press time.
According to the DC3 Website, the annual competition is designed to:
- Address the shortage of cyber-professionals;
- Establish relationships within the digital forensics community;
- Resolve issues facing the digital forensics community; and
- Develop new tools, techniques and methodologies for the digital forensic community.
The 2013 competition is currently underway, with more than 1,225 teams around the world participating. Winners are scheduled to be announced in December.
