Counterintelligence

Counter-intelligence or counter-espionage is the act of seeking and identifying espionage activities.

Major nations have organizations which perform 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 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) - USA
• Counterintelligence Field Activity (CIFA) - USA
• FSB - Russian Federation
• Shabak - Israel
• Serviço de Informações de Segurança (SIS) - Portugal
• KGB - Soviet Union
• MI5 - United Kingdom
• National Intelligence Agency (NIA) - South Africa

See also

• Counter-proliferation