A

actionable: (1) information that is directly useful to customers for immediate exploitation without having to go through the full intelligence production process; the information may address strategic or tactical needs, support of U.S. negotiating teams, or actions dealing with such matters as international terrorism or narcotics; (2) intelligence and information with sufficient specificity and detail that explicit responses to prevent a crime or terrorist attack can be implemented

access: (1) the means, ability, or permission to approach, enter, or use a resource; (2) the basis for and ability of a HUMINT source to collect information against a specific subject or issue

agent: an individual who acts under the direction of an intelligence agency or security service to obtain, or assist in obtaining, information for intelligence or counterintelligence purposes all-source intelligence: intelligence information derived from any or all of the intelligence disciplines, including SIGINT, HUMINT, MASINT, OSINT, and GEOINT

analysis: the process by which people transform information into intelligence; systematic examination of information to identify significant facts, make judgments, and draw conclusions

B

basic intelligence: intelligence on a subject that may be used as reference material for planning and evaluating subsequent information

behavioral indicators of terrorism: potential criminal or noncriminal activities requiring additional information during the vetting process or investigation, as well as defined criminal activity and potential terrorism nexus activity. When the activity involves behavior that may be lawful or is a constitutionally protected activity, the investigating law enforcement agency will carefully assess the information and gather as much information as possible before taking any action, including documenting and validating the information as terrorism-related and sharing it with other law enforcement agencies.

behaviors:observable actions

C

case officer:a professional employee of an intelligence organization who is responsible for providing direction for an agent operation

clandestine activity: (1) information that is directly useful

case officer:any activity or operation sponsored or conducted by governmental departments or agencies with the intent to ensure secrecy or concealment (JP 1-02 and JP 2-01.2, CI & HUMINT in Joint Operations, 11 Mar 2011)

clandestine collection:the acquisition of protected intelligence information in a way designed to protect the source and conceal the operation, the identity of operators and sources, and the actual methodologies employed (DoDI S-5240.17, CI collection, 12 Jan 2009)

classification: the determination that official information requires, in the interest of national security, a specific degree of protection against unauthorized disclosure, coupled with a designation signifying that such a determination has been made; the designation is normally termed a security classification and includes Confidential, Secret, and Top Secret

collation (of information):a review of collected and evaluated information to determine its substantive applicability to a case or problem and the placement of useful information into a form or system that permits easy and rapid access and retrieval

collection (of information):the identification, location, and recording or storing of information—typically from an original source and using both human and technological means—for input into the intelligence cycle to meet a defined tactical or strategic intelligence goal

collection plan:the preliminary step toward completing an assessment of intelligence requirements to determine what type of information needs to be collected, alternatives for how to collect the information, and a timeline for collecting the information

communications intelligence (COMINT): the capture of information, either encrypted or in “plaintext,” exchanged between intelligence targets or transmitted by a known or suspected intelligence target for tracking communications patterns and protocols (traffic analysis), establishing links between intercommunicating parties or groups, or analyzing the substantive meaning of the communication; a subdiscipline of SIGINT

conclusion:a definitive statement about a suspect, action, or state of nature based on analysis of information

Confidential:a security classification designating information that, if made public, could be expected to cause damage to national security

consumer:an authorized person who uses intelligence or intelligence information directly in the decisionmaking process or to produce other intelligence

coordination:(1) the process by which producers obtain the views of other producers on the adequacy of a specific draft assessment, estimate, or report; it is intended to increase a product’s accuracy, clarify its judgments, and resolve or sharpen statements of disagreement on major contentious issues; (2) the process of seeking concurrence from one or more groups, organizations, or agencies regarding a proposal or an activity for which they share some responsibility and that may result in contributions, concurrences, or dissents

counterintelligence:information gathered and activities conducted to identify, deceive, exploit, disrupt, or protect against espionage, other intelligence activities, sabotage, or assassinations conducted for or on behalf of foreign powers, organizations, or persons, or their agents, or international terrorist organizations or activities

counterterrorism: (1) the practices, tactics, techniques, and strategies adopted to prevent or respond to terrorist threats or acts, both real and imputed; (2) a strategy intended to prevent or counter terrorism

covert:a method of conducting operations that hides the true intent, affiliation, or relationship of its participants; differs from clandestine in that covert activity conceals the identity of the sponsor, whereas clandestine conceals the identity of the operation (National HUMINT Glossary)

covert action:an activity or activities undertaken by the U.S. Government to influence political, economic, or military conditions abroad where the U.S. Government’s role should not be apparent or acknowledged publicly; does not include activities conducted primarily to acquire intelligence, traditional counterintelligence activities, traditional activities to improve or maintain the operational security of U.S. Government programs, or administrative activities (Section 503e, National Security Act of 1947 [50 USC §413b])

critical infrastructure information: information related to the security of critical infrastructure or protected systems: (1) actual, potential, or threatened interference with, attack on, compromise of, or incapacitation of critical infrastructure or protected systems by either physical or computer-based attack or other similar conduct (including the misuse of or unauthorized access to all types of communications and data transmission systems) that violates federal, state, or local law, harms interstate commerce of the U.S., or threatens public health or safety; (2) the ability of any critical infrastructure or protected system to resist such interference, compromise, or incapacitation, including any planned or past assessment, projection, or estimate of the vulnerability of critical infrastructure or a protected system, including security testing, risk evaluation, risk management planning, or risk audit; or (3) any planned or past operational problem or solution regarding critical infrastructure or protected systems, including repair, recovery, reconstruction, insurance, or continuity, to the extent it is related to such interference, compromise, or incapacitation (Homeland Security Act of 2002, as amended)

cryptanalysis:the process of deciphering encrypted communications of an intelligence target

cryptography:the creation of a communications code or encryption system for communication transmission with the intent of precluding the consumption and interpretation of one’s own messages

cryptology:the study of communications encryption methods that deals with the development of “codes” and the “scrambling” of communications to prevent interception by an unauthorized or unintended party

current intelligence:intelligence of all types and forms of immediate interest to users; it may be disseminated without complete evaluation, interpretation, analysis, or integration

D

deconfliction:the process or system used to determine whether multiple law enforcement agencies are investigating the same person or crime and that provides notification to each agency involved of the shared interest in the case, as well as providing contact information; an information- and intelligence-sharing process that seeks to minimize conflicts between agencies and maximize the effectiveness of an investigation

deductive logic:the reasoning process of using information to arrive at conclusions

deployment:the short-term assignment of personnel to address specific national security–related problems or demands

dissemination (of intelligence): the timely distribution of intelligence products to consumers in a suitable form (oral, written, or graphic)

downgrade:the process of editing or otherwise altering intelligence materials, information, reports, or other products to conceal and protect intelligence sources, methods, capabilities, analytic procedures, or privileged information to permit wider distribution (see sanitization)

E

electronic intelligence (ELINT):(1) information derived primarily from electronic signals that do not contain speech or text (which are considered COMINT); (2) information obtained for intelligence purposes from the intercept of electromagnetic non-communications transmissions by other than the intended recipient; the most common sources are radar signals; a subdiscipline of SIGINT

essential elements of information:items of intelligence information vital for timely decisions and for enhancement of operations that relate to foreign powers, forces, targets, or physical environments (see priority intelligence requirement)

estimate:(1) analysis of a situation, development, or trend that identifies its major elements, interprets the significance, and appraises the future possibilities and prospective results of various actions that might be taken; (2) an appraisal of the capabilities, vulnerabilities, and potential courses of action a foreign nation or combination of nations may take in reaction to a specific national plan, policy, decision, or contemplated course of action; (3) analysis of an actual or contemplated clandestine operation in relation to the situation in which it is or would be conducted to identify and appraise such factors as available and needed assets and potential obstacles, accomplishments, and consequences (see National Intelligence Estimate)

estimative intelligence: a category of intelligence that attempts to predict probable future foreign courses of action and developments and their implications for U.S. interests; it may or may not be coordinated and may be national or departmental intelligence

evaluation:an appraisal of the worth of an intelligence activity, information, or product in terms of its contribution to a specific goal; all information collected for the intelligence cycle is reviewed for its quality with an assessment of the validity and reliability of the information

exploitation:the process of obtaining intelligence information from any source and taking advantage of it for intelligence purposes

F

Field Intelligence Group (FIG):the centralized intelligence component in an FBI field office responsible for the management, execution, and coordination of intelligence functions within the region

finished intelligence:an intelligence product resulting from the collection, processing, integration, analysis, evaluation, and interpretation of available information

foreign instrumentation signals intelligence (FISINT):information derived from the intercept of foreign electromagnetic emissions associated with the testing and operational deployment of non-U.S. aerospace, surface, and subsurface systems including, but not limited to, telemetry, beaconry, electronic interrogators, and video data links; a subdiscipline of SIGINT

Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA):the FISA Act of 1978 prescribes procedures for the physical and electronic surveillance and collection of “foreign intelligence information” between or among “foreign powers” on territory under U.S. control; codified in 50 U.S.C. §§1801-1811, 1821-29, 1841-46, and 1861-62; amended by the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001, primarily to include terrorism by groups that are not specifically backed by a foreign government

For Official Use Only (FOUO):a dissemination control marking used to identify unclassified information of a sensitive nature, not otherwise categorized by statute or regulation, the unauthorized disclosure of which could adversely affect a person’s privacy or welfare, the conduct of federal programs, or other programs or operations essential to the national interest

Freedom of Information Act (FOIA):the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. 552, enacted in 1966, statutorily provides that any person has a right, enforceable in court, to gain access to federal agency records, except to the extent that such records (or portions thereof) are protected from disclosure by one of nine exemptions or three exclusions

fusion center:a collaborative effort of two or more agencies that provide resources, expertise, and information with the goal of maximizing the ability to detect, prevent, investigate, and respond to criminal and terrorism activity; recognized as a valuable information-sharing resource, state and major urban area fusion centers are the focus, but not exclusive points, within the state and local environment for the receipt and sharing of terrorism information, homeland security information, and law enforcement information related to terrorism

G

geospatial:describes any data containing coordinates defining a location on the Earth’s surface

geospatial intelligence (GEOINT):intelligence derived from the exploitation of imagery and geospatial information to describe, assess, and visually depict physical features and geographically referenced activities on the Earth

granularity:considers the specific details and pieces of information, including nuances and situational inferences, that constitute the elements on which intelligence is developed through analysis

H

high side:a colloquial term for classified government computer systems

hypothesis:an interim conclusion regarding persons, events, or commodities that is formed based on the accumulation and analysis of intelligence information; must be proven or disproven by further investigation and analysis

I

imagery intelligence (IMINT): includes representations of objects reproduced electronically or by optical means on film, electronic display devices, or other media; can be derived from visual photography, radar sensors, infrared sensors, lasers, and electro-optics

indications and warning (I&W):intelligence activities intended to detect and report time-sensitive intelligence information on developments that could involve a threat to U.S. or allied military, political, or economic interests, or to U.S. citizens abroad

indicators:generally defined and observable actions that, based on analysis of past known behaviors and characteristics, collectively suggest that a person may be committing, may be preparing to commit, or has committed an unlawful act

inductive logic:the reasoning process of using diverse pieces of specific information to infer (from the information) a broader meaning through the course of hypothesis development

inference development: the creation of a probabilistic conclusion, estimate, or prediction related to an intelligence target by using inductive or deductive logic in the analysis of raw information

informant:an individual not affiliated with a law enforcement agency who provides information about criminal behavior; may be a community member, a businessperson, or a criminal informant who seeks to protect himself or herself from prosecution or provide the information in exchange for payment

information: pieces of raw, unanalyzed data that identify persons, evidence, or events or illustrate processes that indicate the incidence of an event or evidence of an event

Information Sharing Environment-Suspicious Activity Reporting (ISE-SAR): As defined by ISE-SAR Functional Standard 1.5.5; is a SAR that has been determined, pursuant to a two-part process, to have a potential terrorism nexus (i.e., to be reasonably indicative of criminal activity associated with terrorism). ISE-SAR business, privacy, and civil liberties rules will serve as a unified process to support the reporting, tracking, processing, storage, and retrieval of terrorism-related suspicious activity reports across the ISE

Information Sharing Environment (ISE): in accordance with the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004, Section 1016, and Executive Order 13388, entitled “Further Strengthening the Sharing of Terrorism Information to Protect Americans,” the ISE is defined as the combination of policies, procedures, and technologies linking the resources (people, systems, databases, and information) of all federal Executive Branch entities to facilitate terrorism information sharing, access, and collaboration among users in order to combat terrorism more effectively; provides links to state, local, tribal, and territorial government agencies and the private sector to ensure effective sharing of information among all relevant entities; designed to meet the dual imperatives of sharing critical information and protecting privacy and civil liberties

information-sharing system:an integrated and secure methodology, whether computerized or manual, designed to efficiently and effectively distribute critical information

intelligence analyst:a professional intelligence officer responsible for performing, coordinating, or supervising the collection, analysis, and dissemination of intelligence

intelligence activity: a generic term used to encompass any or all of the efforts undertaken by intelligence organizations, including collection, analysis, production, dissemination, and covert or clandestine activities

intelligence agency:a component organization of the Intelligence Community

Intelligence Assessment (IA): a longer, often detailed intelligence product; encompasses most analytic studies dealing with subjects of policy significance

Intelligence Bulletin (IB):a shorter, often less detailed intelligence product that focuses on a particular topic or incident

Intelligence Community (IC):a federation of Executive Branch agencies and organizations that work separately and together to conduct intelligence activities necessary for the conduct of foreign relations and the protection of U.S. national security; these organizations are (in alphabetical order) Air Force Intelligence, Army Intelligence, the Central Intelligence Agency, Coast Guard Intelligence, the Defense Intelligence Agency, the Department of Energy, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of State, the Department of the Treasury, the Director of National Intelligence, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Marine Corps Intelligence, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, the National Reconnaissance Office, the National Security Agency, and Navy Intelligence

intelligence cycle:the steps by which information is converted into intelligence and made available to users; has been described as including five steps: planning and direction, collection, processing, production, and dissemination; evaluation, although generally assumed, is a sixth step in the cycle considered essential

Intelligence Estimate:analysis of a situation, development, or trend that identifies its major elements, interprets the significance, and appraises the future possibilities and the prospective results of the various actions that might be taken (see National Intelligence Estimate)

intelligence information:unevaluated material that may be used in the production of intelligence

intelligence-led policing: the dynamic use of intelligence to guide operational law enforcement activities to targets, commodities, or threats for both tactical responses and strategic decisionmaking for resource allocation or strategic responses

intelligence mission:the role that the intelligence function of an agency fulfills in support of the overall mission of the agency; specifies in general language what the function is intended to accomplish

intelligence needs: intelligence requirements not being addressed in current intelligence activities to support customers and missions

intelligence officer:a professional employee of an intelligence organization engaged in intelligence activities

intelligence products:reports or documents that contain assessments, forecasts, associations, links, and other outputs from the analytic process

intelligence requirement:any subject, general or specific, for which there is a need to collect intelligence information or to produce intelligence

J

Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF): coordinated “action arm” for federal, state, and local government response to terrorist threats in specific U.S. geographic regions; FBI is the lead agency that oversees JTTFs

K

known or suspected terrorist (KST):individuals known or appropriately suspected to be or to have been involved in activities constituting, in preparation for, in aid of, or related to terrorism

L

Law Enforcement Sensitive (LES): unclassified information typically originated by FBI that may be used in criminal prosecution and requires protection against unauthorized disclosure to protect sources and methods, investigative activity, evidence, and the integrity of pretrial investigative reports

low side:a colloquial term for a non–Top Secret computer system; can be used to refer to Unclassified or Secret-level systems

M

measurement and signature intelligence (MASINT):technically derived intelligence data other than imagery and SIGINT; results in intelligence that locates, identifies, or describes distinctive characteristics of targets; employs a broad group of disciplines, including nuclear, optical, radio frequency, acoustics, seismic, and materials sciences

methods:these are the methodologies (that is, electronic surveillance or undercover operations) of how critical information is obtained and recorded

N

National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC):serves as the primary organization in the U.S. Government for integrating and analyzing all intelligence pertaining to terrorism possessed or acquired by the U.S. Government (except purely domestic terrorism); serves as the central and shared knowledge bank on terrorism information; provides all-source intelligence support to government-wide counterterrorism activities; establishes the information technology systems and architectures within NCTC and between NCTC and other agencies that enable access to as well as integration, dissemination, and use of terrorism information

National Intelligence Council (NIC):the IC’s center for midterm and long-term strategic thinking; primary functions are to support the Director of National Intelligence, provide a focal point for policymakers to task the IC to answer their questions, reach out to nongovernment experts in academia and the private sector to broaden the IC’s perspective, contribute to the IC’s effort to allocate its resources to policymakers’ changing needs, and lead the IC’s effort to produce National Intelligence Estimates and other NIC products

National Intelligence Estimate (NIE):produced by the NIC, express the coordinated judgments of the IC, and thus represent the most authoritative assessment of the Director of National Intelligence with respect to a particular national security issue; contain the coordinated judgments of the IC regarding the probable course of future events

national security:measures adopted by the government of a nation in order to ensure the safety of its citizens, guard against attack, and prevent disclosure of sensitive or classified information that might threaten or embarrass said nation

national security intelligence:the collection and analysis of information about the relationship and equilibrium of the U.S. with foreign powers, organizations, and persons regarding political and economic factors, as well as the maintenance of the U.S.’s sovereign principles

National Terrorism Advisory System (NTAS):more effectively communicates information about terrorist threats by providing timely, detailed information to the public, government agencies, first responders, airports, and other transportation hubs, as well as the private sector; recognizes that Americans all share responsibility for the nation’s security and should always be aware of the heightened risk of terrorist attacks in the U.S. and what they should do

network:a structure of interconnecting components or persons designed to communicate with each other and perform a function or functions as a unit in a specified manner

No Fly (TSA):an individual not permitted to board commercial flights because of terrorism concerns

No-Fly list:a list created and maintained by the U.S. Government to keep known or suspected terrorists from boarding and flying on commercial flights

O

open source:information of potential intelligence value that is available to the general public and can be used to enhance intelligence analysis and reporting

open-source intelligence (OSINT):publicly available information appearing in print or electronic form, including radio, television, newspapers, journals, the Internet, commercial databases, videos, graphics, and drawings used to enhance intelligence analysis and reporting

operational intelligence: (1) intelligence required for planning and executing operations; (2) information on an active or potential target, such as a group or individual, relevant premises, contact points, and methods of communication, that is evaluated and systematically organized; the process is developmental in nature wherein there are sufficient articulated reasons to suspect nefarious activity

operations security: a systematic, proven process by which a government, organization, or individual can identify, control, and protect generally unclassified information about an operation or activity and thus deny or mitigate an adversary’s or competitor’s ability to compromise or interrupt said operation or activity

P

personally identifiable information:(1) as defined in OMB Memorandum M-07-1616 refers to information that can be used to distinguish or trace an individual’s identity, either alone or when combined with other personal or identifying information that is linked or linkable to a specific individual; (2) any information that permits the identity of an individual to be directly or indirectly inferred, including other information that is linked or linkable to an individual; individual includes, but is not limited to, U.S. citizens, legal permanent residents, and visitors to the U.S.; information includes any information about an individual maintained by an agency, including, but not limited to, education, financial transactions, medical history, and criminal or employment history and information that can be used to distinguish or trace an individual’s identity, such as his or her name, social security number, date and place of birth, mother’s maiden name, biometric records, and so on, including any other personal information that is linked or linkable to an individual

plus one: (1) one additional something (for example, person or data element); (2) an individual’s name plus an additional data element (that is, date of birth, social security number, passport number); typically used in reference to information, beyond an individual’s name, required to confirm an individual’s identity

policy: the principles and values that guide the performance of a duty; not a statement of what must be done in a particular situation but a statement of guiding principles that should be followed in activities directed toward the attainment of goals

prediction:the projection of future actions or changes in trends based on the analysis of information depicting historical trends

priority intelligence requirement: a prioritized informational need critical to mission success

privacy (information):the assurance that legal and constitutional restrictions on the collection, maintenance, use, and disclosure of personally identifiable information will be adhered to by anyone who has access to such information, with use of such information to be strictly limited to circumstances in which legal process permits

privacy (personal): the assurance that legal and constitutional restrictions on the collection, maintenance, use, and disclosure of behaviors of an individual—including his or her communications, associations, and transactions—will be adhered to by anyone who has access to such information, with use of such information to be strictly limited to circumstances in which legal process authorizes surveillance and investigation

Privacy Act:the Privacy Act of 1974, 5 U.S.C. § 552a, establishes a code of fair information practices that governs the collection, maintenance, use, and dissemination of personally identifiable information about individuals that is maintained in systems of records by federal agencies; requires that agencies give the public notice of their systems of records by publication in the Federal Register; prohibits disclosure of information from a system of records absent written consent from the subject individual, unless the disclosure is pursuant to one of 12 statutory exceptions; also provides individuals with a means by which to seek access to and amend their records and sets forth various agency recordkeeping requirements

private-sector partners: as used in the ISE Implementation Plan, private- sector partners include vendors, owners, and operators of products and infrastructures participating in the ISE

Protected Critical Infrastructure Information (PCII) Program:enhances information sharing between the private sector and the government; DHS and other federal, state, and local analysts use PCII to analyze and secure critical infrastructure and protected systems, identify vulnerabilities and develop risk assessments, and enhance recovery preparedness measures

Q

qualitative (methods):research methods that collect and analyze information described in narrative or rhetorical form, with conclusions drawn based on the cumulative interpreted meaning of that information

quantitative (methods):research methods that collect and analyze information that can be counted or placed on a scale of measurement and statistically analyzed

R

raw data:bits of data collected that individually convey little or no useful information and must be collated, aggregated, or interpreted to provide meaningful information

raw intelligence: a colloquial term meaning collected intelligence information that has not yet been vetted, validated, or analyzed

Regional Information Sharing Systems (RISS):composed of six regional intelligence centers that provide secure communications, information-sharing resources, and investigative support to combat multijurisdictional crime and terrorist threats to federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial member law enforcement agencies in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, U.S. territories, Australia, Canada, and England

requirements (intelligence): the details of what a customer needs from intelligence

responsibility: reflects how the authority of a unit or individual will be used and determines whether goals have been accomplished and the mission fulfilled in a manner consistent with the defined limits of authority

risk: the potential for an unwanted outcome resulting from an incident, event, or occurrence, as determined by its likelihood and the associated consequences

risk assessment:analysis of a target, illegal commodity, or victim to identify the probability of being attacked or compromised and to analyze vulnerabilities; generally includes preventative steps to be taken to lessen the risk

S

sanitization:the process of editing or otherwise altering intelligence materials, information, reports, or other products to conceal and protect intelligence sources, methods, capabilities, analytic procedures, or privileged information to permit wider dissemination

Secret:information that, if made public, could be expected to cause serious damage to national security

Selectee (TSA):an individual who must undergo additional security screening before being permitted to board a commercial aircraft

Sensitive But Unclassified (SBU):information that has not been classified by a federal law enforcement agency that pertains to significant law enforcement cases under investigation and to criminal intelligence reports and for which dissemination is permitted to only those persons necessary to further the investigation or to prevent a crime or terrorist act

Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI):classified information concerning or derived from intelligence sources, methods, or analytic processes that must be handled within formal access control systems established by the Director of National Intelligence

Sensitive Compartmented Information facility (SCIF):an accredited area, room, group of rooms, buildings, or installation where SCI may be stored, used, discussed, or processed

Sensitive Security Information (SSI): is a specific category of sensitive but unclassified information that is governed by federal law. SSI is information obtained or developed which, if released publicly, would be detrimental to transportation security. SSI is not classified national security information and is not subject to the handling requirements governing such information, but is subject to the handling procedures required by the SSI Federal Regulation (49 CFR Part 1520). Unauthorized disclosure of SSI may result in civil penalties and other enforcement or corrective actions.

signals intelligence (SIGINT):intelligence derived from signals intercepts comprising, individually or in combination, all COMINT, ELINT, and FISINT

source:a book, statement, person, or other entity supplying information; from a HUMINT perspective, sources are persons who collect or possess critical information needed for intelligence analysis

Suspicious Activity Report (SAR): per the ISE-SAR Functional Standard 1.5.5, official documentation of “observed behavior reasonably indicative of pre-operational planning associated with terrorism or other criminal activity”

system of records:: in accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974, a system of records is a group of any records under the control of any agency from which information can be retrieved by the name of the individual or by some identifying number, symbol, or other identifier assigned to the individual; the Privacy Act requires each agency to publish notice of its systems of records, generally referred to as a System of Records Notice (SORN) in the Federal Register

T

tactical intelligence:information regarding a specific event that can be used immediately by operational units to further investigations, plan tactical operations, support preparedness and response or recovery operations, and provide for first responder safety

target: (1) any person, organization, group, crime or criminal series, or commodity subject to investigation and intelligence analysis; (2) an individual, operation, or activity that an adversary has determined possesses information that might prove useful in attaining his or her objective

target profile:a person-specific profile that contains sufficient detail to initiate a targeting operation or support an ongoing operation against that individual or a network of such individuals

targeting: the identification of incidents, trends, and patterns with discernable characteristics that makes collection and analysis of intelligence information an efficient and effective method for identifying, apprehending, and prosecuting those responsible

tear line:intelligence information that has been sanitized (by removal of sources and methods) so it may be disseminated at a lower classification

tear-line report:a report containing classified intelligence or information prepared so that data relating to intelligence sources and methods can be easily removed to protect sources and methods from disclosure; typically, the information below the “tear line” can be released as SBU

terrorism: Title 22 of the U.S. Code, Section 2656f(d) defines terrorism as premeditated, politically motivated violence perpetrated against noncombatant targets by subnational groups or clandestine agents, usually intended to influence an audience

Terrorist Identities Datamart Environment (TIDE):a consolidated repository of information on international terrorist identities that is the authoritative database supporting the Terrorist Screening Center and the U.S. Government’s watchlisting system

terrorism information:all information, whether collected, produced, or distributed by intelligence, law enforcement, military, homeland security, or other activities relating to (1) the existence, organization, capabilities, plans, intentions, vulnerabilities, means of finance or material support, or activities of foreign or international terrorist groups or individuals, or of domestic groups or individuals involved in transnational terrorism; (2) threats posed by such groups or individuals to the U.S., U.S. persons, or U.S. interests, or to those of other nations; (3) communications of or by such groups or individuals; or (4) groups or individuals reasonably believed to be assisting or associated with such groups or individuals; includes weapons of mass destruction information

Terrorist Screening Center (TSC):established in support of Homeland Security Presidential Directive 6 (HSPD-6), dated 16 September 2003, to consolidate the U.S. Government’s approach to terrorism screening and provide for the appropriate and lawful use of terrorist information in screening processes; maintains the U.S. Government’s consolidated and integrated terrorist watchlist, known as the Terrorist Screening Database

Terrorist Screening Database (TSDB): contains the consolidated and integrated terrorist watchlist maintained by FBI’s TSC; the No-Fly and Selectee Lists are components

third-agency rule:an agreement wherein a source agency releases information under the condition that the receiving agency does not release the information to any other agency—that is, a third agency

threat:(1) a source of unacceptable risk; (2) the capability of an adversary, coupled with his or her intentions to undertake actions detrimental to the success of program activities or operations

threat assessment:appraisal of the threat that an activity or group poses to a jurisdiction, either at present or in the future, that may recommend ways to lessen the threat; the assessment focuses on opportunity, capability, and willingness to fulfill the threat

Top Secret: information that, if made public, could be expected to cause exceptionally grave damage to national security

U

unauthorized disclosure:a communication or physical transfer, usually of SBU or classified information, to an unauthorized recipient

Unclassified:information not subject to a security classification; that is, information not Confidential, Secret, or Top Secret; although unclassified information is not subject to a security classification, there may still be limits on disclosure

Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI):a grants program that focuses on enhancing regional preparedness in major metropolitan areas

V

validity: information that has some foundation or is based on truth; asks the question, “Does the information actually represent what we believe it represents?”

variable:any characteristic on which individuals, groups, items, or incidents differ

vet:(1) to subject a proposal, work product, or concept to an appraisal by command personnel or subject matter experts to ascertain the product’s accuracy, consistency with philosophy, or feasibility before proceeding; (2) to subject information or sources to careful examination or scrutiny to determine suitability

vulnerability:a physical feature or operational attribute that renders an entity open to exploitation or susceptible to a given hazard

vulnerability assessment: an assessment of possible terrorist targets within a jurisdiction integrated with an assessment of the targets’ weaknesses, likelihood of being attacked, and ability to withstand an attack

W

warning:to notify in advance of possible harm or victimization as a result of information and intelligence gained concerning the probability of a crime or terrorist attack

X

Y

Z

A

AAA:Asbat al-Ansar

AAB:‘Abdallah Azzam Brigades

AAD:Ansar al-Din

AAI:Ansar al-Islam

AAMB:Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade

AAR:After-Action Report

ACIC:Army Counterintelligence Center

AFIS:Automated Fingerprint Identification System

AFOSI:Air Force Office of Special Investigations

AKA:also known as

AMCIT:American citizen

AMEMB:American Embassy

ANO:Abu Nidal Organization

ANW:alerts, notifications, and warnings

AOI:Army of Islam

AQ:al-Qa‘ida

AQAP:al-Qa‘ida in the Arabian Peninsula

AQIM:al-Qa‘ida in the Lands of the Islamic Maghreb (formerly Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat [GSPC])

ASG:Abu Sayyaf Group

ATF:Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms

AUC:United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia

AUM:Aum Shinrikyo

AUSA:Assistant U.S. Attorney

B

BPA:Border Patrol agent

BW:biological warfare

C

C: Confidential

CBP: U.S. Customs and Border Protection (DHS)

CBR: chemical, biological, and radiological

CBRN: chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear

CBRNE: chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosives

CBT: computer-based training

CBW: chemical and biological warfare

CDD: chemical dispersion device

CI: counterintelligence

CI poly: counterintelligence polygraph

CIA: Central Intelligence Agency

CIR: Central Intelligence Report

CIR: Counterintelligence Report

CIR: Current Intelligence Report

CIRA: Continuity Irish Republican Army

CLASS: Consular Lookout and Support System

COI: Community of Interest

COMINT: communications intelligence

COMSEC: communications security

CONOPS: concept of operations

CONUS: continental U.S.

COOP: continuity of operations

CPP/NPA: Communist Party of the Philippines/New People’s Army

CT: counterterrorism

D

D/CIA: Director, Central Intelligence Agency (formerly DCI)

D&D: denial and deception

DEA: Drug Enforcement Administration

DCTC: Defense Combating Terrorism Center

DHKP/C: Revolutionary People’s Liberation Army/Front

DHS: Department of Homeland Security

DI: Directorate of Intelligence

DIA: Defense Intelligence Agency

DISES: Defense Intelligence Senior Executive Service

DISL: Defense Intelligence Senior Level

DNI: Director of National Intelligence

DOB: date of birth

DOD: Department of Defense

DOE: Department of Energy

DOS: Department of State

DPOB: date and place of birth

DSAC: Domestic Security Alliance Council

DSS: Diplomatic Security Service

DT: domestic terrorism

E

EEI: essential element of information (now priority intelligence requirement [PIR])

EIF: entry into force

ELINT: electronic intelligence

ELN: National Liberation Army

EO: executive order

EPA: Environmental Protection Agency

ETA: estimated time of arrival

ETA: Basque Fatherland and Liberty

EWI: entry without inspection

F

FAA: Federal Aviation Administration

FAM: Federal Air Marshal

FARC: Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia

FBI: Federal Bureau of Investigation

FEMA: Federal Emergency Management Agency

FGI: Foreign Government Information

FIG: Field Intelligence Group (FBI)

FIR: Field Information Report

FIS: foreign intelligence service

FISA: Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act

FISINT: foreign instrumentation signals intelligence

FNU: first name unknown

FPO: Federal Protective Service Officer

FOIA: Freedom of Information Act

FOUO: For Official Use Only

FPS: Federal Protective Service

FPU: Force Protective Unit

FSLTTP: federal, state, local, tribal, territorial, and private sector

G

GEOINT: geospatial intelligence

GS: General Schedule

H

HCS: Human Control System

HIR: Homeland Information Report

HQN: Haqqani Network

HSC: Homeland Security Council

HSDN: Homeland Secure Data Network

HSIN: Homeland Security Information Network (DHS Internet portal)

HSIN-I: Homeland Security Information Network–Intelligence (DHS Internet portal)

HS SLCI: Homeland Security State and Local Community of Interest

HUJI-B: Harakut ul-Jihad-i-Islami/Bangladesh

HUM: Harakat ul-Mujahidin

HUMINT: human intelligence

I

I&A: Office of Intelligence and Analysis (DHS)

I&W: indications and warning

IA: Intelligence Assessment

IA: intelligence analyst

IAEA: International Atomic Energy Agency

IBIS: Interagency Border Inspection System

IC: Intelligence Community

ICCD: improvised chemical dispersion device

ICD:improvised chemical device

ICD: Intelligence Community Directive (replaces Director of Central Intelligence Directives or DCIDs)

ICE: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (DHS)

IDENT: Automated Biometric Fingerprint Identification System

IED: improvised explosive device

IG: al-Gama‘at al-Islamiyya (Islamic Group, IG)

IG: Inspector General

IICT: Interagency Intelligence Committee on Terrorism (NCTC)

IIR: Intelligence Information Report

IJU: Islamic Jihad Union

IM: Indian Mujahideen

IMINT: imagery intelligence

IMU: Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan

INA: Immigration and Nationality Act

IND: improvised nuclear device

INFOSEC: information security

INR: Bureau of Intelligence and Research (Department of State)

INTERPOL: International Police

IRT: incident response team

IRTPA: Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004

ISC: Information Sharing Council

ISE: Information Sharing Environment

ISE-SAR: Information Sharing Environment-Suspicious Activity Report

ISIL: Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (formerly al-Qa‘ida in Iraq; also referred to as Islamic State of Iraq and Syria [ISIS])

IT: international terrorism

J

JAT: Jemaah Anshorut Tauhid

JCAT: Joint Counterterrorism Assessment Team

JCS: Joint Chiefs of Staff

JEM: Jaish-e-Mohammad

JI: Jemaah Islamiyah

JRIES: Joint Regional Information Exchange System

JSA: Joint Special Assessment

JTF: Joint Task Force

JTTF: Joint Terrorism Task Force

JWICS: Joint Worldwide Intelligence Communication System

K

KACH: Kahane Chai

KH: Kata’ib Hizballah

KST: known or suspected terrorist

L

LAN: local area network

LEA: law enforcement agency

LEEP: Law Enforcement Enterprise Portal

LEO: law enforcement officer

LEO: Law Enforcement Online (FBI SBU Web portal)

LES: Law Enforcement Sensitive

LIFG: Libyan Islamic Fighting Group

LJ: Lashkar-e-Jhangvi

LNU: last name unknown

LPR: Lawful Permanent Resident

LT: Lashkar-e-Tayyiba

LTTE: Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam

M

MANPADS: man-portable air defense system

MASINT: measurement and signature intelligence

MEK: Mujahedin-e Khalq Organization

MI: military intelligence

MOA: memorandum of agreement

MOU: memorandum of understanding

MSC: Mujahidin Shura Council in the Environs of Jerusalem

N

NAILS: National Automated Immigration Lookout System

NCIC: National Crime Information Center

NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service

NCIX: National Counterintelligence Executive

NCPC: National Counterproliferation Center

NCR: national capital region

NCTC: National Counterterrorism Center

NFI: no further information

NFTR: nothing further to report

NGA: National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency

NIC: National Intelligence Council

NIE: National Intelligence Estimate

NIMA: National Imagery and Mapping Agency (now NGA)

NIP: National Intelligence Program

NIPF: National Intelligence Priorities Framework

NJTTF: National Joint Terrorism Task Force

NLETS: National Law Enforcement Telecommunication System

NOC: National Operations Center (DHS)

NOFORN: Not Releasable to Foreign Nationals

NOIWON: National Operations and Intelligence Watch Officers Network

NRO: National Reconnaissance Office

NSA: National Security Agency

NSC: National Security Council

NSEERS: National Security Entry-Exit Registration System

NSI: Nationwide Suspicious Activity Reporting Initiative

NSIS: National Strategy for Information Sharing

NSTL: National Security Threat List

NSTR: nothing significant to report

NSTS: National Secure Telephone System

NTAS: National Terrorism Advisory System

NTM: National Technical Means

NTR: nothing to report

O

OCONUS: outside the continental U.S.

ODNI: Office of the Director of National Intelligence

OPSEC: operations security

ORCON: Originator Controlled Dissemination

OSC: Open Source Center

OSINT: open-source intelligence

OSIS: Open Source Information System

P

PCII: protected critical infrastructure information

PFLP: Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine

PFLP-GC: PFLP–General Command

PII: personally identifiable information

PIJ: Palestine Islamic Jihad

PIR: priority intelligence requirement (formerly essential element of information [EEI])

PKK: Kurdistan Workers’ Party (Kongra-Gel or Kurdistan People’s Congress)

PLF: Palestine Liberation Front

PM-ISE: Program Manager–Information Sharing Environment (DNI)

PM: production management

PNR: passenger name record

POB: place of birth

POC: point of contact

POE: port of entry

PPN: passport number

PSA: Protective Security Advisor (DHS)

Q

R

RDD: radiation dispersal device

RFI: request for information

RFP: request for proposal

RIRA: Real Irish Republican Army

RISS: Regional Information Sharing System

RISSNet: Regional Information Sharing System Network

RO: Reporting Officer or Reports Officer

RS: Revolutionary Struggle

RSO: Regional Security Office

S

S: Secret

S&T: science and technology

S&L: state and local

SA: situational awareness

SA: Special Assessment

SAP: special access program

SAR: Suspicious Activity Report

SBI: special background investigation

SBU: Sensitive But Unclassified

SCI: Sensitive Compartmented Information

SCIF: Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility

SEG: Special Events Group

SES: Senior Executive Service

SETA: Special Events Threat Assessment

SEVIS: Student Exchange Visitor Information System

SI: Sensitive Information

SI: Special Intelligence

SIA: Supervisory Intelligence Analyst

SIO: Supervisory Intelligence Officer

SIOC: Strategic Information and Operations Center (FBI)

SIPRNET: Secret Internet Protocol Routed Network

SIS: Senior Intelligence Service

SL: Shining Path

SLAM: SIOC Law Enforcement Alert Messaging System

SLTT: state, local, tribal, and territorial

SLTTP: state, local, tribal, territorial, and private sector

SME: subject matter expert

SNIS: Senior National Intelligence Service

SOP: standard operating procedure

SPII: sensitive personally identifiable information

SSI: sensitive security information

SSO: Special Security Officer

STE: secure telephone

STU III: Secure Telephone Unit III

SVTC: secure video teleconference

T

TA: Threat Analysis

TA: Threat Assessment

TD: Teletype Dissemination

TDX: Teletype Dissemination Sensitive

TDY: temporary duty

TECS: Treasury Enforcement Communications System

TIDE: Terrorist Identities Datamart Environment

TS: Top Secret

TSA: Transportation Security Administration

TSANOF: TSA No-Fly List

TSASEL: TSA Selectee List

TSC: Terrorist Screening Center

TSDB: Terrorist Screening Database

TSO: Transportation Security Officer

TSOC: Transportation Security Operations Center

TS//SCI: Top Secret//Sensitive Compartmented Information

TTP: tactics, techniques, and procedures

TTP: Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan

U

U: Unclassified

UASI: Urban Areas Security Initiative (DHS grants program)

UBL: Usama Bin Ladin

U//FOUO: Unclassified//For Official Use Only

UI: unidentified

UNC: Unclassified

UNCLASS: Unclassified

UNK: unknown

USA: U.S. Attorney

USC: U.S. citizen

USCG: U.S. Coast Guard

USCIS: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (DHS)

USDI: Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence

USEMB: U.S. Embassy

USIC: U.S. Intelligence Community

USPER: U.S. person

V

VBIED: vehicle-borne improvised explosive device

VGTOF: Violent Gang and Terrorist Organization File

VTC: video teleconference

VWP: Visa Waiver Program

W

WMD: weapons of mass destruction

X

Y

Z

#

17N: Revolutionary Organization 17 November