Counter-intelligence
Encyclopedia : C : CO : COU : Counter-intelligence
Counter-intelligence is the activity of preventing the enemy from obtaining secret information, such as careful classification and control of sensitive information and spreading disinformation.
Counter-espionage is spying directed against an enemy's spy system, such as by recruiting agents in foreign intelligence organs.
Most governments and militaries have organizations which specifically fulfill this role. Methods include surveillance of suspects and their communications, undercover agents, monitoring the behavior of legally accredited 'diplomatic personnel' (some of whom are sometimes actually spies or spy handlers), and similar means.
When spying is discovered, the agencies usually have arrest power, but it is often more productive to keep a careful eye on them to see what they know, where they go, and who they talk to. Furthermore, disinformation can be used to fool the spies and their sponsors, or make them cease their activities if they learn their information has become unreliable and/or their secrecy has been compromised. Intelligence and counter-intelligence activities occur not only between governments but between industries as well as criminal and terrorist groups.
Counterintelligence agencies
- Agência Brasileira de Inteligência (Abin) - Brazil
- Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) - Australia
- Bundesnachrichtendienst (BND) - Germany
- Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) - Canada
- Direction de la Surveillance du Territoire (DST) - France
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) - United States
- Counterintelligence Field Activity (CIFA) - United States
- FSB - Russian Federation
- Shabak - Israel
- KGB - Soviet Union
- MI5 - United Kingdom
- National Intelligence Agency (NIA) - South Africa
- Inter-Services Intelligence - Pakistan
See also
From Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Original article here. Support Wikipedia by contributing or donating.
All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License See Wikipedia Copyrights for details.