History of NCSC
Counterintelligence in the 21st Century
The position of the National Counterintelligence Executive (NCIX) was established in 2001 and the Counterintelligence Enhancement Act of 2002 established the Office of the National Counterintelligence Executive (ONCIX). In November 2014 the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) established NCSC by combining ONCIX with the Center for Security Evaluation, the Special Security Center and the National Insider Threat Task Force, to effectively integrate and align counterintelligence and security mission areas under a single organizational construct. The Director of NCSC serves in support of the DNI’s role as Security Executive Agent (SecEA) to develop, implement, oversee and integrate personnel security initiatives throughout the U.S. Government.
The Office of the National Counterintelligence Executive (ONCIX) was established in 2002 and then integrated into the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) in 2004. The ODNI/Special Security Center (SSC) and the ODNI/Center for Security Evaluation (CSE) were integrated into ONCIX in 2010 to strengthen the synergies between CI and Security. SSC – renamed the Special Security Directorate (SSD) – continues to focus on personnel security, serving as the Director of National Intelligence’s (DNI’s) lead for Security Executive Agent (SecEA) authorities, clearance reform, and continuous evaluation. CSE, in consultation with the IC, supports the Department of State in protecting classified national security information and provides other security-related functions affecting IC interests at U.S. diplomatic and consular facilities abroad. ONCIX, on behalf of the DNI, along with the FBI, on behalf of the U.S. Attorney General provides direction and oversight of the National Insider Threat Task Force (NITTF) which was formed in 2011.
On 1 December 2014, the DNI established the National Counterintelligence and Security Center (NCSC) to effectively integrate and align counterintelligence and security mission areas and allow the DNI to address counterintelligence and security responsibilities under a single organizational construct. The establishment of NCSC is consistent with the DNI’s authority to establish national intelligence centers to address intelligence priorities. The National Counterintelligence Executive (NCIX) also serves as the Director of NCSC.
On 1 December 2015, on the one-year anniversary of NCSC, a new seal replaced the legacy ONCIX seal to represent the role of CI– to deter, disrupt, and defeat foreign intelligence threats and the role of security– to protect and defend U.S. infrastructure, facilities, classified networks, information and personnel. NCSC’s vision is to be the nation’s premier source for CI and security expertise and a trusted mission partner in protecting America against foreign and other adversarial threats.
