National Counterintelligence and Security Center
CI and Security Advocacy
The IC uses the Intelligence Planning Programming, Budgeting, and Evaluation (IPPBE) system to effectively shape and sustain intelligence capabilities through the development of the National Intelligence Program (NIP). NCSC oversees the CI and security NIP resources and advocates for our Federal Partners to implement CI and security programs not funded by the NIP.
Through mission reviews, based on the implementation of the National CI Strategy and the state-of-the-mission, based on the Unifying Intelligence Strategy for CI, NCSC assesses progress toward closing key intelligence gaps and finds ways to leverage existing CI capabilities before proposing new ones.
National and IC Strategy Development
NCSC leads the development, implementation and assessment of the National CI Strategy that guides US Government and private sector entities to unify CI efforts at home and abroad. NCSC also leads the development, implementation and assessment of the Unifying Intelligence Strategy for Counterintelligence for the Intelligence Community. NCSC leads comprehensive assessment programs to identify gaps, make recommendations about priorities, and inform and shape resource and budget decisions.
i. National CI and Security Policy Development
NCSC is responsible for national CI and security policy development and policy compliance oversight. The National Counterintelligence Policy Board, established by the Counterintelligence and Security Enhancements Act of 1994, serves as the principal mechanism for developing national policies and procedures to guide the conduct of counterintelligence activities across the US Government.
For personnel security under SecEA authorities, in coordination with the Suitability Executive Agent, NCSC ensures that policies, procedures and standards relating to suitability of contractor and employee fitness, eligibility to hold a sensitive position, access to federally controlled facilities and information systems, and eligibility for access to classified information are aligned to the extent possible, for reciprocal recognition and protection of national security information.
ii. Intelligence Community Policy and Guidance
NCSC facilitates and monitors the implementation and effectiveness of IC CI and security policies and programs, and develops recommendations for new or modified policies; develops and promulgates IC CI and security standards and other guidance to implement CI and security policies.
Physical Security
NCSC works with the Department of State to protect classified national security information and to perform other security-related functions affecting U.S. diplomatic and consular facilities abroad.
Technical and cyber threat assessments bring an understanding of foreign scientific and technical developments and capabilities that might pose potential threats, targets, or opportunities for the U.S. Government and its partners.
Technical Surveillance Countermeasures (TSCM) represent the convergence of counterintelligence and security. Countermeasures are designed to detect and nullify a wide variety of technologies used to gain unauthorized access to classified national security information, restricted data or otherwise sensitive information.
Relevant Reports, Briefings, & Reading Material
- TSG-6 Approved Telephones (PDF) (April 2018)
i. Protecting U.S. Embassies and Consulates
NCSC, in consultation with the IC, works with Department of State (DoS) to protect classified national security information and to perform other security-related functions affecting U.S. diplomatic and consular facilities abroad. NCSC provides IC input to the DoS biannual Security Environment Threat List for the Human Intelligence and Technical Threat categories and conducts risk assessments for U.S. diplomatic facilities abroad in response to specific requests from DoS that involve analyses of asset value, threats, and vulnerabilities as well as recommendations for risk mitigation.
NCSC has responsibility for overseas security which requires: maintaining databases on foreign intelligence threats to and the vulnerabilities of U.S. diplomatic facilities abroad; collaborating with the IC and DoS to enhance information assurance standards and policies for the protection of classified national security information held in U.S. diplomatic facilities abroad, and partnering with DoS, industry and the IC elements to assess technical security shortfalls, identify solutions and manage the integration of emerging technologies to improve security countermeasures.
ii. Protecting IC Facilities Domestically and Abroad
NCSC oversees the management of U.S. Government facilities containing Sensitive Compartmented Information Facilities (SCIFs) and a framework for common security standards for IC domestic facilities enabling savings through shared, multi-use spaces. NCSC provides a single automated source for secure facility information worldwide. SCIF locations can be an invaluable tool to identify sites in jeopardy due to national disasters, heightened security alerts, as well as domestic and international hostilities.
iii. Technical Threat Assessment and Technical Surveillance Countermeasures
The protection of national intelligence and intelligence sources and methods, and the neutralization of foreign intelligence threats, are fundamental to the success of the CI and security mission. Technical and cyber threat assessments bring an understanding of foreign scientific and technical developments and capabilities that might pose potential threats, targets, or opportunities for the U.S. Government and its partners.
Technical Surveillance Countermeasures (TSCM) represent the convergence of counterintelligence and security. Countermeasures are designed to detect and nullify a wide variety of technologies used to gain unauthorized access to classified national security information, restricted data or otherwise sensitive information.
Information on foreign technical penetrations, technical surveillance, or technical collection efforts against the U.S. is centralized and managed, including information and techniques obtained through U.S. TSCM activities and subsequent CI investigations.
Information Sharing and Audit Data
IC elements treat information collected and analysis produced as national assets. They are stewards of information who have a “responsibility to provide.” Authorized IC personnel have a “responsibility to discover” information believed to have the potential to contribute to their assigned mission need and a corresponding “responsibility to request” relevant information they have discovered.
Damage Assessments
Damage assessments are conducted by NCSC to evaluate actual or potential damage to national security from the unauthorized disclosure or compromise of classified information. NCSC coordinates equity reviews and damage assessments across the IC, as directed by the DNI. Lessons learned from these assessments are shared with our mission partners.
Threat Assessments
The foundation of all counterintelligence (CI) work is the study of foreign intelligence entities (FIE) — to understand their behavior— how they define and carry out their missions.
NCSC produces the National Threat Identification and Prioritization Assessment (NTIPA) which informs policy makers and senior officials with CI responsibilities on current and emerging foreign intelligence threats that could seriously damage US national security.
The National Intelligence Priority Framework (NIPF) reflects customers’ priorities for national intelligence support and ensures that enduring and emerging intelligence issues are addressed.