Why the levels exist
Coalition operations depend on sharing information quickly with the right people, and only the right people. The ACP 240 levels give nations and suppliers a common way to describe how far that protection goes. They are maturity levels, not product grades: each one builds on the last.
DCS-1: labelling
At DCS-1 each object carries a confidentiality label in a standard format (STANAG 4774), stating its classification, releasability and handling caveats. Systems can read the label and act on it.
Limit: the label is not protected. It can be stripped, changed or ignored, and the content is readable by anyone who obtains the file.
DCS-2: bound metadata
At DCS-2 the label and richer metadata are cryptographically bound to the data (STANAG 4778). If anyone alters the label or the data, verification fails and the change is detected.
Limit: integrity is protected, but confidentiality still depends on the system or network holding the data.
DCS-3: cryptographic protection
ACP 240 describes DCS-3 as the level at which "cryptographic protection is provided, enabling both confidentiality through encryption of the data, and integrity through signing of the metadata", with a target date of 2033 (ACP 240 paras 199 to 200, as quoted).
In practice, the content is encrypted, the metadata is signed, and the decryption key is released only after a policy decision about the person or system asking. The data stays protected however many times it is copied, forwarded or stored, on any network.
Side-by-side comparison
| DCS-1 | DCS-2 | DCS-3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard label (STANAG 4774) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Label bound to data (STANAG 4778) | No | Yes | Yes |
| Tampering detectable | No | Yes | Yes |
| Content encrypted | No | No | Yes |
| Key released by policy per request | No | No | Yes |
| Protection survives copying to any network | No | Partly | Yes |
Where Espanaro sits
Espanaro has achieved data-centric security Level 3 (DCS-3) for document and live stream sharing, demonstrated at NATO EFDI Accelerator 2.0 in September 2026. This is Espanaro's own assessment against the ACP 240 maturity levels; it has not been independently certified.
Espanaro's capability is built to implement ACP 240 and STANAG 4774 and 4778, and it covers live video and sensor streams as well as documents. Read the EFDI evidence.
Common questions
What is DCS Level 3 (DCS-3)?
DCS-3 is the highest ACP 240 maturity level. The data is encrypted and its security metadata is signed, so it stays confidential and tamper-evident wherever it goes, and the key is released only after a policy decision about the person or system asking. ACP 240 sets it as the target for 2033.
How is DCS-3 different from DCS-1 and DCS-2?
DCS-1 adds a standard label. DCS-2 binds that label to the data so tampering can be detected. DCS-3 adds encryption of the content and policy-based key release, so the data cannot be read by anyone the policy does not allow, on any network.
Is DCS the same as DCC?
No. DCS is data-centric security, about how data itself is protected. DCC is Defence Cyber Certification, a UK supplier cyber assurance scheme. They are unrelated.