The Intelligence Process
Threats Facing the United States
The Intelligence Community at Work
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Gathering
of raw data from which finished intelligence is produced.
There are six
basic intelligence sources, or collection disciplines:
Signals Intelligence (SIGINT)
Imagery Intelligence (IMINT)
Measurement and Signature Intelligence (MASINT)
Human-Source Intelligence (HUMINT)
Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT)
Geospatial Intelligence.
SIGINT
Signals intelligence is derived from signal intercepts comprising
-- however transmitted -- either individually or in combination:
-
all communications
intelligence (COMINT)
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electronic
intelligence (ELINT)
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foreign
instrumentation signals intelligence (FISINT)
The NSA is responsible for collecting,
processing, and reporting SIGINT. The National SIGINT Committee
within NSA advises the Director, NSA, and the DNI on SIGINT policy
issues and manages the SIGINT requirements system.
IMINT
Imagery Intelligence includes representations of objects reproduced
electronically or by optical means on film, electronic display devices,
or other media. Imagery can be derived from visual photography,
radar sensors, infrared sensors, lasers, and electro-optics. NGA is the manager for all
imagery intelligence activities, both classified and unclassified,
within the government, including requirements, collection, processing,
exploitation, dissemination, archiving, and retrieval.
MASINT
Measurement and Signature Intelligence is technically derived intelligence
data other than imagery and SIGINT. The data results in intelligence
that locates, identifies, or describes distinctive characteristics
of targets. It employs a broad group of disciplines including nuclear,
optical, radio frequency, acoustics, seismic, and materials sciences.
Examples of this might be the distinctive radar signatures of specific
aircraft systems or the chemical composition of air and water samples.
The Central MASINT Organization, a component of DIA, is the focus for all national
and DoD MASINT matters.
HUMINT
Human intelligence (HUMINT) is derived from human sources. To the
public, HUMINT remains synonymous with espionage and clandestine
activities; however, most of this collection is performed by overt
collectors such as diplomats and military attaches. It is the oldest
method for collecting information, and until the technical revolution
of the mid to late twentieth century, it was the primary source
of intelligence. HUMINT is used mainly by the CIA,
the Department of State, the
DoD, and the FBI. Collection includes
clandestine acquisition of photography, documents, and other material;
overt collection by personnel in diplomatic and consular posts;
debriefing of foreign nationals and US citizens who travel abroad;
and official contacts with foreign governments.
To improve HUMINT throughout the IC in response to the recommendations
made by the WMD Commission, the CIA, working closely with the Office
of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) established the
National Clandestine Service (NCS). The NCS serves as the national
authority for coordination, de-confliction, and evaluation of clandestine
HUMINT operations across the Intelligence Community, both abroad
and inside the United States, consistent with existing laws, executive
orders, and interagency agreements. While the ODNI establishes policy
related to clandestine HUMINT, the NCS executes and implements that
policy across the IC.
The Director of the CIA has become the National HUMINT Manager.
He has delegated his day-to-day responsibilities in this role to
the Director of the NCS (D/NCS), and has appointed the current Deputy
Director for Operations at CIA to be the first D/NCS. This individual
is and will remain an undercover officer. The D/NCS is assisted
by a Deputy Director of the NCS (DD/NCS/CIA), a Deputy Director
of NCS for Community HUMINT (DD/NCS/CH), and an Associate Deputy
Director of the NCS for Technology (ADD/NCS/T).
The DD/NCS/CIA is responsible for managing CIA's clandestine service.
The DD/NCS/CH is responsible for facilitation, coordination and
de-confliction of clandestine HUMINT across the Community. In coordination
with the ODNI, the DD/NCS/CH is empowered to implement community-wide
authorities and, in conjunction with CIA's NCS and IC partners,
drafts standards, doctrine, and guidelines for training, tradecraft,
and general conduct of clandestine HUMINT operations. The ADD/NCS/T
is responsible for managing use of advanced technologies related
to clandestine HUMINT.
OSINT
Open-Source Intelligence is publicly available information appearing
in print or electronic form including radio, television, newspapers,
journals, the Internet, commercial databases, and videos, graphics,
and drawings. While open-source collection responsibilities are
broadly distributed through the IC, the major collectors are the
Foreign Broadcast Information Service (FBIS) and the National Air
and Space Intelligence Center (NASIC).
Geospatial
Intelligence
This is the analysis and visual representation of security related
activities on the earth. It is produced through an integration of
imagery, imagery intelligence, and geospatial information.
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