This is a list of
intelligence gathering
Espionage, spying, or intelligence gathering, as a subfield of the intelligence field, is the act of obtaining secret or Confidentiality, confidential information (Intelligence (information), intelligence). A person who commits espionage on ...
disciplines.
HUMINT
Human intelligence (HUMINT) are gathered from a person in the location in question. Sources can include the following:
* Advisors or
foreign internal defense
Foreign internal defense (FID) is a term used by the military in several countries, including the United States Armed Forces, United States, French Armed Forces, France and the British Armed Forces, United Kingdom, to describe an integrated or ...
(FID) personnel working with host nation (HN) forces or populations
*
Diplomatic reporting by accredited diplomats (e.g. military attachés)
*
Espionage
Espionage, spying, or intelligence gathering, as a subfield of the intelligence field, is the act of obtaining secret or confidential information ( intelligence). A person who commits espionage on a mission-specific contract is called an ...
clandestine reporting, access agents, couriers, cutouts
*
s
*
Non-governmental organization
A non-governmental organization (NGO) is an independent, typically nonprofit organization that operates outside government control, though it may get a significant percentage of its funding from government or corporate sources. NGOs often focus ...
s (NGOs)
*
Prisoners of war
A prisoner of war (POW) is a person held captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610.
Belligerents hold prisoners of war for a ...
(POWs) or
detainees
*
Refugee
A refugee, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), is a person "forced to flee their own country and seek safety in another country. They are unable to return to their own country because of feared persecution as ...
s
*
Routine patrolling (
military police
Military police (MP) are law enforcement agencies connected with, or part of, the military of a state. Not to be confused with civilian police, who are legally part of the civilian populace. In wartime operations, the military police may supp ...
, patrols, etc.)
*
Traveler debriefing (e.g. CIA Domestic Contact Service)
MI6
The Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), commonly known as MI6 ( Military Intelligence, Section 6), is the foreign intelligence service of the United Kingdom, tasked mainly with the covert overseas collection and analysis of human intelligenc ...
is often thought to use human intelligence to operate in different countries or Britain itself to protect the country from global affairs. However, this is usually confused with their brother agency MI5, which focuses on the security of Britain.
FININT
Financial intelligence (FININT) are gathered from analysis of monetary transactions.
GEOINT
Geospatial intelligence (GEOINT) are gathered from satellite and aerial photography, or mapping/terrain data.
*
Imagery intelligence
Imagery intelligence (IMINT), pronounced as either as ''Im-Int'' or ''I-Mint'', is an intelligence gathering discipline wherein imagery is analyzed (or "exploited") to identify information of intelligence value. Imagery used for defense intell ...
(IMINT) – gathered from satellite and aerial photography
MASINT
Measurement and signature intelligence (MASINT) are gathered from an array of signatures (distinctive characteristics) of fixed or dynamic target sources. According to the
Air Force Institute of Technology
The Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) is a postgraduate institution and provider of professional and continuing education for the United States Armed Forces and is part of the United States Air Force. It is in Ohio at Wright-Patterson ...
's Center for MASINT Studies and Research, MASINT is split into six major disciplines: electro-optical, nuclear, radar, geophysical, materials, and radiofrequency.
#
Electro-optical MASINT
#*
Airborne electro-optical missile tracking MASINT
#*
Tactical counter-artillery sensors
#*
Infrared MASINT
#*
Optical measurement of nuclear explosions
#*
LASER MASINT
#*
Spectroscopic MASINT
#*
Hyperspectral MASINT
#*
Space-based staring infrared sensors
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Nuclear MASINT
#*
Radiation survey and dosimetry
#*
Space-based nuclear energy detection
#*
Effects of ionizing radiation on materials
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Geophysical MASINT
#*
Weather and sea intelligence MASINT
#*
Acoustic MASINT, also known as
acoustical intelligence (ACOUSTINT or ACINT)
#*
Seismic MASINT
#*
Magnetic MASINT
#*
Gravitimetric MASINT
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Radar MASINT
#*
Line-of-sight radar MASINT
#*
Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) and inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR) MASINT
#*
Non-cooperative target recognition
#*
Multistatic radar MASINT
#*
Passive covert radar
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Materials MASINT
#*
Chemical materials MASINT
#*
Biological materials MASINT
#*
Nuclear test analysis
#
Radiofrequency MASINT
#*
Frequency domain MASINT
#*
Electromagnetic pulse MASINT
#*
Unintentional radiation MASINT
OSINT
Open-source intelligence (OSINT) are gathered from open sources. OSINT can be further segmented by the source type: Internet/General, Scientific/Technical, and various HUMINT specialties, e.g. trade shows, association meetings, and interviews.
SIGINT
Signals intelligence (SIGINT) are gathered from interception of signals.
*
Communications intelligence
Signals intelligence (SIGINT) is the act and field of intelligence-gathering by interception of ''signals'', whether communications between people (communications intelligence—abbreviated to COMINT) or from electronic signals not directly u ...
(COMINT)
*
Electronic intelligence
Signals intelligence (SIGINT) is the act and field of intelligence-gathering by interception of ''signals'', whether communications between people (communications intelligence—abbreviated to COMINT) or from electronic signals not directly u ...
(ELINT) – gathered from electronic signals that do not contain speech or text (which are considered COMINT)
**
Foreign instrumentation signals intelligence (FISINT) – entails the collection and analysis of
telemetry
Telemetry is the in situ collection of measurements or other data at remote points and their automatic transmission to receiving equipment (telecommunication) for monitoring. The word is derived from the Greek roots ''tele'', 'far off', an ...
data from a missile or sometimes from aircraft tests; formerly known as
telemetry intelligence or TELINT
TECHINT
Technical intelligence (TECHINT) are gathered from analysis of weapons and equipment used by the armed forces of foreign nations, or environmental conditions.
*
Medical intelligence (MEDINT) – gathered from analysis of medical records and/or actual physiological examinations to determine health and/or particular ailments and allergic conditions for consideration
See also
*
All-source intelligence
*
Cryptanalysis
Cryptanalysis (from the Greek ''kryptós'', "hidden", and ''analýein'', "to analyze") refers to the process of analyzing information systems in order to understand hidden aspects of the systems. Cryptanalysis is used to breach cryptographic se ...
*
Meteorological intelligence
Meteorological intelligence is information measured, gathered, compiled, exploited, analyzed and disseminated by meteorologists, climatologists and hydrologists to characterize the current state and/or predict the future state of the atmosphere a ...
*
Operations security
Operations security (OPSEC) is a process that identifies critical information to determine whether friendly actions can be observed by enemy intelligence, determines if information obtained by adversaries could be interpreted to be useful to th ...
*
Spy satellite
A reconnaissance satellite or intelligence satellite (commonly, although unofficially, referred to as a spy satellite) is an Earth observation satellite or communications satellite deployed for military or intelligence applications.
The ...
*
TEMPEST
*
Traffic analysis
Traffic analysis is the process of intercepting and examining messages in order to deduce information from patterns in communication. It can be performed even when the messages are encrypted. In general, the greater the number of messages observ ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Intelligence gathering disciplines
Open-source intelligence
Government-related lists