Open sources have provided a useful stream of information for all source collection and analysis within the intelligence community. The use of open source information by the intelligence community is not a new phenomenon. During the technological boom of the 21st century open source has expanded well beyond its original capabilities. There is an important difference however between mere information and intelligence. Open source information is defined as “any and all information that can be derived from overt collection” (Lowenthal 2006, p. 273) comparatively open source intelligence (OSINT) is the transformation of legally available information using analytical exploitation (Gibson 2004).
Lowenthal (2006) proposed several strategic implications associated with the myths and realities of the intelligence community. He implied OSINT is unable to offer the intelligence community with all the information it needs because there is still a large gap between what is collected and processed. Until there is a dedicated focus OSINT will always stay adjunct rather than a contributor b...
The organization I have chosen for this essay is CSIS ( Canadian Security Intelligence Service ). CSIS closely resembles The Federal Bureau of Investigation ( FBI ) or British Security Intelligence Service. I have chosen this organization because I have great interest in becoming an employee of CSIS in the future. This essay will provide brief history of CSIS, the responsibilities of CSIS for Canada, and the application process for an entry – level position. These will be further discussed in greater detail as the essay goes on.
The pros of electronic surveillance are extensive. The ability for agents of the United States Intelligence Community (IC) to intercept and process communications and information from foreign powers, agents of foreign powers, international terrorist organizations, and others who seek to engage in activities with such groups, provides the ...
The Department of Homeland Security faces challenges of failure to coordinate and cooperate in the latest fight against computer crimes as well as more general intelligence-gathering operations. (...
The Australian Secret Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) is Australia's national security intelligence service. The functions of ASIO are defined under section 17 of the Australian Secret Intelligence Organisation Act 1979, to identify and collect information on events that may jeopardize the nation’s security within Australia or abroad. ASIO also produce intelligence based on the information they have collected to inform the government of any security threats to the Australia, its people and interests (Richardson, 2004).
...e community have had conflicting views and opposing agendas. Lack of cooperation and communication between intelligence agencies; such as the FBI and the CIA refusing to share information prior to the terrorist attacks of 2001, resulted in limited information and failure on the part of the intelligence community and policy decisions regarding US safeguards against terrorist.
This essay examines two forms of intelligence collection, namely signals intelligence (SIGINT) and open source intelligence (OSINT), with a view to determining whether the collection methods can be ranked in terms of importance. To this end, this essay will describe SIGINT and OSINT, with a focus on outlining the relative advantages and disadvantages of each method. It will be shown that any attempt to 'rank' collection methods in terms of their importance is only productive insofar as it is necessary to effectively direct the most suitable collection method against an intelligence target. Moreover, it will be argued that OSINT has a uniquely significant, although not more important role, in serving as a foundation upon which all other collection methods can be based.
About two weeks ago, I went to a discussion with General Michael Hayden at the Commonwealth Club. Hayden is the only person to have served as a director of both the CIA and the NSA. The talk he gave was about “American intelligence in an age of terror,” specifically discussing portions of his new book, which bears the same name. For sake of our discussion, we will focus on only one primary facet of Hayden’s talk--how we should view the role the intelligence community plays in everyday life.
In order to fulfill its duty of ensuring the safety of its law-abiding citizens, and apprehending those who would cause them harm, the government does need to access certain information. In fact, many blame suppressed intelligence operations for allowing the terrorist attacks in 2001 to slip through (Cooper). It would be foolish not to tighten security after suc...
Phythian, M 2009, ‘Intelligence analysis today and tomorrow’, Security Challenges, vol. 5, no. 1, pp. 67-83.
After the terrorist attacks on 9/11, the United States Intelligence community was forced to conduct major reforms. Issues in interdepartmental communication, intelligence gathering, and chain of command were addressed by reforms. According to some, these major changes have been ineffective in protecting the United States from terrorist attacks. To others; however, these reforms have been extremely helpful in the defense of the US. While many see civilians as having no direct contact with the intelligence portion of the federal government, the work that they do protects all citizens. Without the intervention of these federal departments, citizens would be defenseless on local, state, and federal levels from terrorist threats. Although no federal agency can completely protect its citizens, the reforms made by the US intelligence community have been effective, mainly in the areas of Homeland
It can and is very biased depending on where the intelligence is coming from. For example if the intelligence is being pushed by a specific diplomatic party news cast then it will be worded to favor that party which can have false misleading intelligence. OSINT can be more than news cast it cover social media sites I can go onto some ones Facebook account and see who there family is, where they are from and are now, what there family looks like, who their friends are and where they go to school all of this is bad for that individual and very dangerous. OSINT is the most used by criminals to target women, children and potential houses to rob. It is also widely used by terrorist organizations to gain intelligence on individuals, companies and capabilities the United States might have. This is by far the biggest downfall to OSINT it is open for any and everyone to see leaving us very vulnerable to our
The United States has endured numerous security breaches and high security threats over the past two decades. After the attacks on 9/11, the office of Intelligence became a vital source in retrieving sensitive data and tracking down potential terrorists and their networks which could pose a threat to the American people and then forwarding that vital information to the Department of Homeland Security and other government agencies. Intelligence became a key role in “assessing threats to critical American infrastructures, bio-and nuclear terrorism, pandemic diseases, threats to the borders to the nation, and radicalization within American society” (Randol, 2009, p. 7). The sharing of homeland security intelligence has become a precedence for Congress and the government. Our nation must be one step ahead of any potential terrorists that want to harm our turf. Within this text the capabilities and limitations of both domestic and foreign intelligence in supporting homeland security efforts will be explained;
The DIA started in 1958. The organizational structure of the DoD and U.S. foreign intelligence came to a new shape with the establishment of DIA. It was Robert McNamara, then Secretary of Defense, who came up with the concept of DIA in 1961. DIA gathers human source intelligence, analyzes technical intelligence, distributes intelligence/reports to the intelligence agencies, provides advice and support to the Joint Chiefs of Staff with foreign military intelligence, and provides military intelligence to combatant commands as its operational functions. A DIA director is supposed to be a three-star military general and DIA is believed to have employed at least 7,500 staff worldwide today. The DIA is a defense intelligence agency that prevents strategic surprises and delivers a decision advantage to warfighters, defense planners, and to policymakers. This paper will try to evaluate DIA’s role in US national security in present condition of massive budget deficits and increased congressional oversight, plus the intelligence capabilities of the Regional Combatant Commanders and the individual services like CIA and NSA.
Tidd, J. M. (2008). From revolution to reform: A brief history of U.S. intelligence. The SAIS
The Central Intelligence Agency’s main responsibility is stated in its Vision statement: “We will provide knowledge and take action to ensure the national security of the United States and the preservation of American life and ideals” (www.cia.gov). The CIA’s job is to provide pertinent, timely, and un-biased foreign intelligence. They also act as an unseen force by conducting undercover action as ordered by the President in order to preempt threats or achieve objectives of the United States. The CIA is the only intelligence organization that is not subject to cabinet prerogative, making it reliable in it is unbiased in its reports, because it has no political agenda. There are six main types of intelligence by which the CIA collects information. Human intelligence (HUMINT) is information gathered by field operatives through overt and covert techniques (www.cia.gov). Communications intelligence (COMINT) is acquired from intercepted foreign communications (www.cia.go...