Intelink is a group of secure
intranets used by the
United States Intelligence Community
The United States Intelligence Community (IC) is a group of separate US federal government, U.S. federal government intelligence agencies and subordinate organizations that work to conduct Intelligence assessment, intelligence activities which ...
. The first Intelink network was established in 1994 to take advantage of
Internet
The Internet (or internet) is the Global network, global system of interconnected computer networks that uses the Internet protocol suite (TCP/IP) to communicate between networks and devices. It is a internetworking, network of networks ...
technologies (though not connected to the public Internet) and services to promote intelligence dissemination and business workflow. Since then it has become an essential capability for the US intelligence community and its partners to share information, collaborate across agencies, and conduct business. ''Intelink'' refers to the web environment on protected
top secret
Classified information is confidential material that a government deems to be sensitive information which must be protected from unauthorized disclosure that requires special handling and dissemination controls. Access is restricted by law or ...
, secret, and
unclassified networks. One of the key features of Intelink is
Intellipedia
Intellipedia is an online system for collaborative data sharing used by the United States Intelligence Community (IC). It was established as a pilot project in late 2005 and formally announced in April 2006. Intellipedia consists of three wik ...
, an online system for collaborative data sharing based on
MediaWiki
MediaWiki is free and open-source wiki software originally developed by Magnus Manske for use on Wikipedia on January 25, 2002, and further improved by Lee Daniel Crocker,mailarchive:wikipedia-l/2001-August/000382.html, Magnus Manske's announc ...
. Intelink uses
WordPress
WordPress (WP, or WordPress.org) is a web content management system. It was originally created as a tool to publish blogs but has evolved to support publishing other web content, including more traditional websites, electronic mailing list, ma ...
as the basis of its blogging service.
Versions on different intranets
Intelink-U
Intelink-U (Intelink-SBU) is a
sensitive but unclassified
Sensitive But Unclassified (SBU) is a designation of information in the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government that, though unclassified, often requires FIPS 140-2#Level 2, strict controls over its distribution ...
(SBU) variant of Intelink which was established for use by U.S. federal organizations and properly vetted state, tribal, and local officials so sensitive information and
open source intelligence
Open source intelligence (OSINT) is the collection and analysis of data gathered from open sources (overt sources and publicly available information) to produce actionable intelligence. OSINT is primarily used in national security, law enforceme ...
could be shared amongst a secure community of interest. Intelink-U was formerly known as the
Open Source Information System (OSIS). Intelink-U operates on the
DNI-U network.
[National Intelligence, a consumer's guide, 2009](_blank)
Intelink-S
Intelink-S (Intelink-Secret or Intelink-SIPRNet) is the secret-level variant of Intelink which is primarily used by the U.S. Departments of Defense, State, and Justice. Intelink-S operates on
SIPRNet
The Secret Internet Protocol Router Network (SIPRNet) is "a system of interconnected computer networks used by the U.S. Department of Defense and the U.S. Department of State to transmit classified information (up to and including information ...
.
Intelink-TS
Intelink-TS (Intelink-SCI) is the
Intelligence Community's Intelink which facilitates sharing intelligence products up to the
Top Secret
Classified information is confidential material that a government deems to be sensitive information which must be protected from unauthorized disclosure that requires special handling and dissemination controls. Access is restricted by law or ...
/
Sensitive Compartmented Information
Sensitive compartmented information (SCI) is a type of United States classified information concerning or derived from sensitive intelligence sources, methods, or analytical processes. All SCI must be handled within formal access control systems ...
(SCI) level. Intelink-TS operates on
JWICS.
Intelink-P
Intelink-P (Intelink-PolicyNet) is run by the
Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA; ) is a civilian foreign intelligence service of the federal government of the United States tasked with advancing national security through collecting and analyzing intelligence from around the world and ...
as CIA's sole-source link to the
White House
The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest (Washington, D.C.), NW in Washington, D.C., it has served as the residence of every U.S. president ...
and other high-level, intelligence consumers. Today, Intelink-P is more commonly referred to as CapNet.
[Intelligence in the Internet Era – Studies in Intelligence](_blank)
Intelink-C
Intelink-C (Intelink-Commonwealth) links the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia intelligence communities at the TS/SCI level. Today, Intelink-C is more commonly referred to by its network name of
STONEGHOST.
Books and novels
In 1999
Fredrick Thomas Martin wrote a book about Intelink, titled ''How U.S. Intelligence Built INTELINK, The World's Largest, Most Secure Network''. It claims to be an inside look at the U.S. intelligence community's worldwide, super-secure intranet, and the never-before-published story of Intelink.
In the novel ''Rogue Warrior: Task Force Blue'' by
Richard Marcinko
Richard Marcinko (November 21, 1940 – December 25, 2021) was a United States Navy SEALs, U.S. Navy SEAL Commander (United States), commander and Vietnam War veteran. He was the first commanding officer of United States Naval Special Warfare D ...
, the protagonist uses Intelink, during his mission countering domestic terrorism in the United States, and his assassination of a
Ross Perot
Henry Ross Perot ( ; June 27, 1930 – July 9, 2019) was an American businessman, politician, and philanthropist. He was the founder and chief executive officer of Electronic Data Systems and Perot Systems. He ran an Independent politician ...
-like character, who is the architect of a domestic terror network.
In the novel ''
Threat Vector'' by
Tom Clancy
Thomas Leo Clancy Jr. (April 12, 1947 – October 1, 2013) was an American novelist. He is best known for his technically detailed espionage and military science, military-science storylines set during and after the Cold War. Seventeen of ...
, one of the characters found an exploit in the Microsoft's
Remote Desktop Protocol
Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) is a proprietary protocol developed by Microsoft Corporation which provides a user with a graphical interface to connect to another computer over a network connection. The user employs RDP client software for this pu ...
that allowed him to penetrate the networks of a United States
defense contractor
A defense contractor is a business organization or individual that provides products or services to a military or intelligence department of a government. Products typically include military or civilian aircraft, ships, vehicles, weaponry, and ...
and exploit that penetration to access Intelink-TS.
Controversies
Two chatrooms were created and hosted on Intelink titled ''LBTQA'' and ''IC_Pride_TWG'', where employees allegedly discused explicit behavior.
Tulsi Gabbard
Tulsi Gabbard (; born April 12, 1981) is an American politician and military officer serving as the director of National Intelligence, director of national intelligence (DNI) since 2025. She has held the rank of Lieutenant colonel (United Stat ...
fired over 100 employees at 15 security agencies who participated in the chatrooms, and cancelled their security clearances.
References
Intelink itself is also mentioned in several novels written by Andy Mcnab, in particular ''Crisis Four''.
External links
home page- Intelink-U
:*https://web.archive.org/web/20100528093217/https://www.intelink.gov/
Matthew S. Burton, Studies in Intelligence, September 2005 (cia.gov/library/center-for-the-study-of-intelligence/csi-publications)
"The wiki and the blog: toward a complex adaptive intelligence community" D. Calvin Andrus, September 2005.
"Wikis and blogs" presentationby
D. Calvin Andrus at the
Knowledge Management Conference and Exhibition, April 21, 2006.
"Rants + raves: agent of change" ''Wired'', September 2006.
''Wired'', March 25, 2008
{{Authority control
Classified information
Intelligence analysis
United States intelligence agencies
Wide area networks