Our Work
DDS tackles complex challenges head-on by recruiting exceptional tech talent from the private sector and putting them to work inside the Pentagon.
Projects include reforming digital services that provide military families access to critical benefits, running bug bounty programs to identify vulnerabilities and better secure defense systems, developing drone detection technologies, keeping adversaries off of defense networks, rethinking training for cyber soldiers, and more.
RAPID CAPABILITIES
When a DoD organization faces a technical issue that cannot wait, DDS steps up to the challenge.
These engagements might result in a swift technical fix, implementing new practices, or transitioning a new capability to a partner in the department.
TECHNICAL ASSESSMENTS
DDS partners with organizations all over the department to help them assess their next steps.
This might be in the form of evaluating existing efforts to figure out what's broken, or we may be helping them identify the core problem they are facing.
CYBERSECURITY
At DDS, a project isn’t done until it’s secure. DDS is known as the birthplace of Hack the Pentagon, the first bug bounty program in the federal government, as well as countless other programs that keep systems safe and secure.
Rapid Capabilities
Rapid response projects give DDSers opportunities to jump in and make an impact in unprecedented ways. Whether it's responding quickly to support the evacuation of Afghanistan, working to streamline some of the most onerous hiring practices in the federal government, or helping to keep servicemembers safe from enemy drones, our team has what it takes to get the job done.
Counter - UAS
DDS' technical experts rapidly field low-cost counter unmanned aerial systems (cUAS) solutions to support the warfighter's need for real-time detection, tracking and mitigation of cUAS threats. Since adding cUAS as a portfolio in 2020 through the Rogue Squadron acquisition, DDS programs have built best-in-class capabilities that are used domestically and globally, and continue to strengthen and modernize the DoD's defensive posture.
Operation Warp Speed
Operation Warp Speed (OWS) was an effort to ensure that safe, effective, FDA-approved vaccines were securely researched, tested, manufactured, and distributed to the American people. OWS was a joint effort between DOD and HHS, which merged HHS’ central role in pandemic response and their relationship with the healthcare industry with DOD’s experience with large-scale operations and defensive capabilities. NSA & DDS secured critical data & systems for this effort.
Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity is a part of everything we do at DDS. From our flagship Hack the Pentagon bug bounty program to implementing a DNS resolution service that combines threat intelligence with public sector best practices, to protecting supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) and industrial control systems (ICS), we help maintain the stability of critical systems and traditional networks that countless people rely on every day.
Hack the Pentagon
Hack the Pentagon (“HtP”) leverages the power of the crowd to substantially improve the DoD’s cyber defenses through a series of “bug bounties”. In a bug bounty, DDS works with asset owners, industry partners and independent security researchers to discover and document vulnerabilities. With this approach, the Department can quickly mitigate vulnerabilities and improve its cybersecurity posture.
DEF CON
DDS has participated in DEFCON since 2019, hosting educational workshops and contests on everything from hacking power grids to satellites, and everything in between. We've been honored to partner with multiple Villages to inspire and educate the next generation of hackers and security researchers to help solve the problems that affect us today. If you want to see all of our workshops, past and present, check out our github
Technical Assessments
Technical Assessments are one of the corners of our work where our human-centered approach and hands-on technical knowledge combine to elevate the technology and services within the DoD. By going where the work is, we are able to do hands-on research with the target user group to really understand their real-world constraints.
We endeavor to help our partners solve the right problems by asking the right questions. Because these projects are mostly internal with our partners, we don't share the details publicly.