INTELLIGENCE DEFINITIONS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80M00596A000500010025-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 9, 2004
• Sequence Number: 25
• Publication Date: October 18, 1977
• Content Type: MF

Approved For Release 2004/05/05 : CIA-RDP80M00596A000500010025-4
DCI/IC 77-6368
18 October 1977
MEMORANDUM FOR:
Special Assistant to the D DCI IC
FROM:
Director, uttice ot o icy and Planning
SUBJECT: Intelligence Definitions
1, Attached is a revised list of intelligence
definitions which responds to. Senator Huddleston's request
dated 19 September 1977.
2. The revised list was discussed extensively by the
Community representatives to the Definitions Working Group
and, with a single exception, represents the consensus of
that Group, In the case of the definition of "Interna-
tional Terrorist Activities," the Treasury representative
asked that our definition include language similar to that
found in the draft Executive Order pertaining to protectees
of the Secret Service or the Department of State (Sec-
tion 2(f)(2)), This suggestion was not accepted by the
Group since the attached definition was thought to suffi-
ciently cover such persons and that the inclusion would
necessitate adding multiple lists of specific categories
of people covered or not covered.
3. Due to the press of time, full coordination with
NFIB principals was not possible. Should further modifica-
tions of these definitions occur prior to submission to the
Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, I will bring them
to your attention as soon as possible.
4. The identification of COMINT, ELINT, etc., as
colloquial terms reflects the fact that these refer to
information and not to finished intelligence.
Attachment
As stated
Approved For Release 2004/05/05 : CIA-RDP80M00596A000500010025-4
 STAT Approved For Release 2004/05/05 : CIA-RDP80M00596A000500010025-4
Approved For Release 2004/05/05 : CIA-RDP80M00596A000500010025-4
 Approved For Release 2004/05/05 : CIA-RDP80M.00596A000500010025-4
DEFINITIONS OF INTELLIGENCE TERMS
INTELLIGENCE: A generic term which includes foreign in-
telligence and foreign counterintelligence. (See below.)
INTELLIGENCE ACTIVITIES: A generic term used to describe
the efforts and endeavors undertaken by the departments,
agencies, and elements comprising the Intelligence Com-
munity.
FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE (FI): The product of collection,
processing, and analysis of foreign intelligence informa-
tion relating to the national security, to the foreign
relations or economic interests of the United States by
a government agency that is assigned an intelligence
mission.
FOREIGN COUNTERINTELLIGENCE: Intelligence activity, with
its resultant pro uct, devoted to countering the effective-
ness of foreign intelligence activities and undertaken to
protect the security of the United States, its personnel,
information and installations against espionage, sabotage,
and terrorism. Foreign counterintelligence does not in-
clude personnel, physical, document, or communications
security programs.
TACTICAL INTELLIGENCE: That intelligence required by
military commanders in the field to maintain the readiness
of operating forces for combat operations and to support
the planning and conduct of military operations under
combat conditions.
INTERNATIONAL TERRORIST ACTIVITIES: Terrorism is the
calculated use of violence, or the threat of violence, to
attain political goals through fear, intimidation or
coercion. It usually involves a criminal act, often
symbolic in nature, and is intended to influence an
audience beyond the immediate victims. International
terrorism is terrorism transcending national boundaries
in the carrying out of the act, the purpose of the act,
the nationalities of the victims, or the resolution of
the incident. These acts are usually designed to
attract wide publicity in order to focus attention on
the existence, cause, or demands of the perpetrators.
Approved For Release 2004/05/05 : CIA-RDP80M00596A000500010025-4
 Approved For Release 2004/05/05 : CIA-RDP80M00596A000500010025-4
DEPARTMENT(AL) INTELLIGENCE: Foreign Intelligence
produced and used within a governmental department or
agency in order to meet unique requirements of the
department or agency mission.
INTELLIGENCE-RELATED ACTIVITIES: Those military acti-
vities, specifically excluded rom the Consolidated De-
fense Intelligence Program, which respond to operational
commanders' tasking for time-sensitive information on
foreign activities; respond to national Intelligence
Community advisory tasking of systems whose primary
mission is to support operating forces; train personnel
for intelligence duties; or are devoted to research and
development of intelligence or related capabilities.
Intelligence-related activities do not include programs
which are so closely integrated with a weapon system
that their primary function is to provide immediate data
for targeting purposes.
COMMUNICATIONS INTELLIGENCE (COMINT): Technical and
intelligence information derived from intercept of foreign
communications by other than the intended recipients.
COMINT does not include the monitoring of foreign public
media nor the intercept of oral or written communication
intercepted during the course of foreign counterintelli-
gence investigations within the United States. (This is
a colloquial term.)
ELECTRONICS' INTELLIGENCE (EL'INT): Technical and intelli-
gence information . erive rom foreign non-communications
electromagnetic radiations emanating from other than
atomic detonation or radioactive sources. (This is a
colloquial term.)
FOREIGN INSTRUMENTATION SIGNALS INTELLIGENCE (FISINT):
Information derived from the collection an processing of
foreign telemetry, beaconry, and associated signals.
(This is a colloquial term.)
SIGNALS INTELLIGENCE (SIGINT): A category of intelligence
information comprising a ommunications Intelligence,
Electronics Intelligence, and Foreign Instrumentation
Signals Intelligence, either individually or in combina-
tion, including as well non-imagery infra-red and coherent
light signals. (This is a colloquial term.)
Approved For Release 2004/05/05 : CIA-RDP80M00596A000500010025-4
 Approved For Release 2004/05/05 : CIA-RDP80MOO596A000500010025-4
NON-COMMUNICATIONS EMANATIONS: That class of radiations
which are emitted intentionally or unintentionally by
electrical or electronic equipments for purposes other
than communications, e.g., by radars, navigational aids,
jammers, or remote control systems.
UNITED STATES SIGNALS INTELLIGENCE SYSTEM: An entity
that is comprised of the National Security Agency (in-
cluding assigned military personnel); those elements
of the military departments and the Central Intelligence
Agency performing Signals Intelligence activities; and
those elements of any other department or agency which
may from time to time be authorized by the National
Security Council to perform Signals Intelligence activi-
ties during the time when such elements are so authorized.
COMMUNICATIONS SECURITY (COMSEC): The protection re-
sulting from the application o any measures taken to deny
unauthorized persons information of value which might
be derived from telecommunications or to ensure the
.authenticity of such telecommunications.
TRANSMISSION SECURITY (TRANSSEC): The component of
Communications Security which results from all measures
designed to protect transmissions from interception and
from exploitation by means other than cryptanalysis.
EMISSION SECURITY (EMSEC): The component of Communica-
tions Security which results from all measures taken to
.deny to unauthorized persons information of value which
might be derived from interception and analysis of com-
promising emanations from crypto-equipment and tele-
communications systems.
PHYSICAL SECURITY: Physical measures--such as safes,
vaults, perimeter barriers, guard systems, alarms and
access controls--designed to safeguard installations
against damage, disruption or unauthorized entry; informa-
tion or material against unauthorized access or theft;
and specified personnel against harm.
PERSONNEL SECURITY- The means or procedures, such as
selective investigations, record checks, personal inter-
views, supervisory controls, designed to provide reasonable
assurance that persons being considered for, or granted
access to, classified information are loyal and trust-
worthy.
Approved For Release 2004/05/05 : CIA-RDP80M00596A000500010025-4
 Approved For Release 2004/05/05 : CIA-RDP80M00596A000500010025-4
CRYPTOSECURITY: The component of Communications Security
that results from the provision of technically sound
cryptosystems and from their proper use.
CRYPTOLOGIC ACTIVITIES: The activities and operations
involved in the production of Signals Intelligence and
the maintenance of Communications Security.
CRYPTOLOGY: The branch of knowledge which treats the
principles of cryptography and cryptanalytics and is used
to produce signals intelligence and maintain communica-
tions security.
CODE: A cryptosystem in which the cryptographic equiva-
lents (usually callec. "code groups"), typically consist-
ing of letters or digits (or both) in otherwise meaning-
less combinations, are substituted for plaintext elements
such as words, phrases, or sentences.
CIPHER: A cryptosystem in which the cryptographic treat-
ment i.e., the method for transforming plain text by
predetermined rules to obscure or conceal its meaning)
is applied to plaintext elements (such as letters, digits,
polygraphs or bits) which either have no intrinsic meaning
or are treated without regard to their meaning (e.g.,
if the element is a natural-language word).
CRYPTOSYSTEN: All associated items of cryptomaterial
(e.g., equipments and their removable components which
perform. cryptographic functions, operating instructions,
maintenance manuals) that are used as a unit to provide
a single means of encryption and decryption of plain
text, so that its meaning may be concealed. (In addition,
Code, Cipher, and Cryptographic System include any
mechanical or electrical device or method used for the
purpose of disguising, authenticating, or concealing the
contents, significance, or meanings of communications.)
NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE ESTIMATES (NIEs): Thorough
assessments of situations in the foreign environment
that are relevant to the formulation of foreign, economic,
and national security policy, and project probable future
courses of action and developments. They are structured
to illuminate differences of view within the Intelligence
Community, and are issued by the Director of Central
Intelligence with the advice of the National Foreign
Intelligence Board.
4
Approved For Release 2004/05/05 : CIA-RDP80M00596A000500010025-4