The concept of Open Source intelligence (OSINT) has been placed in too high regard within the intelligence community and to the detriment of the value of other forms of collection, such as Signals Intelligence (SIGINT). While useful in the Analysis function of the intelligence cycle, OSINT, as it has become known, is not and should never be the only form of intelligence collected. In order to be of use in achieving a comparative advantage for decision makers, OSINT must be combined with covert sources like SIGINT. Effective collection of OSINT enables prioritized and efficient SIGINT collection requirements.
OSINT is largely provided by the Open Source Branch within the Office of National Assessments (ONA), while SIGINT is the exclusive domain of the Defence Signals Directorate (DSD). SIGINT, in the Australian context, is “intelligence obtained by eavesdropping on electronic communications”. The definition of OSINT however is more difficult to describe. The Australian Government expects Intelligence to be “covertly obtained information” according to Flood. This goes against the publicly available nature of OSINT as described in North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) publications and adopted in Australia. While both Flood and NATO definitions allow distribution of information that is usually restricted, such as diplomatic reporting, OSINT is generally considered to be freely accessible. Treveton neatly describes the difficulty in defining OSINT compared with SIGINT and other collection methods as “everything else equals open source”. Effectively OSINT is the collection method of the gaps, the collection method that contains other methods not easily categorised. The argument regarding the nature of intelligence and whether...
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... Scott and Jackson (eds). Routledge, New York, 2004.
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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 ...
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Intelligence tests have been developed by scientists as a tool to categorize army recruits or analyze school children. But still discussing what intelligence is, academics have a difficult time defining what intelligence tests should measure. According to the American researcher Thorndike, intelligence is only that what intelligence tests claim it is (Comer, Gould, & Furnham, 2013). Thus, depending on what is being researched in the test and depending on the scientist’s definition of intelligence the meaning of the word intelligence may vary a lot. This essay will discuss what intelligence is in order to be able to understand the intelligence theories and aims of intelligence tests.
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Since, as he establishes, leadership’s political priorities were critical to the ultimate decision in the CIA’s actions, the degree to which the CIA actually concentrated on this mission of collection and analysis depended on the perceived threats from the top. Consequently, the actual level of reliable analysis deteriorated as demonstrated by the example of ORE analysists who were “normatively risk averse” and trying to “get it right,” and provide analysis that fit into the view of their leadership. Lacking trust in their analysists’ conclusions, the CIA proved unable to supply reliable intelligence and forge “collaboration and integration.” Rather than addressing institutional problems the CIA developed a pattern that continued throughout its entire history. Even though it refers to the Reagan era, Immerman’s conclusion that in a time of crisis the CIA deemed that they “required a change in leadership more than an institutional adjustment,” could easily apply to any other period. This application of psychology to history while enlightening does detract from the reader’s understanding of a formation of a CIA “culture” that limited its intelligence analysis efficiency. Without this fundamental comprehension of a CIA “culture,” some of Immerman’s later
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The CI has been a means to determine the presence of espionage by citizens of domestic as well as foreign countries. Whether the citizens are private or military has been rendered as immaterial for purposes specific to CI. The implementation of counterintelligence by either by acts of espionage from a citizen source acting on their own or via a government entity can either hurt or help a foreign country or a private citizen. Espionage by a government entity on another government entity via the infiltration of an agent network will likely be of benefit to the underlying national population and in contrast, should CI fall into the wrong hands, may be of potential danger to a underlying national population as well.
One device that the analyst has available is the Internet. Although this is not the only open source information-collecting device, it is one of the most commonly used open source methods. The problem of the “wheat versus chaff” can be realized very easily at any search engine. The Internet can be a very valuable tool for the analyst, but can also be a very time-consuming and an overwhelming obstacle if the analyst does not know how to overcome the problems of over-information.