The National Security Agency (NSA) of the US Defence Department (Defense Intelligence Agency - DIA) was set up
on November 1,1952, to unify all clandestine activities for the collection of foreign communications intelligence
(COMINT) through the interception of foreign wireless and telephone networks.
Its charter was expanded in 1971 to cover clandestine collection of foreign electronic (ELINT) and telemetric (TELINT)
intelligence. It thus became the USA's SIGINT set-up covering COMINT, ELINT and TELINT.
The next year, it was entrusted with the exclusive responsibility for SIGCOUNTERINT--that is, protection of the US
Govt's SIGINT assets from foreign penetration and development and protection of the cryptologic systems used by
the US Govt. For this purpose, a Central Security Service (CSS) was created as part of the NSA.
In the 1990s, the Clinton Administration further expanded the NSA's charter to include CYBERINT and
CYBERCOUNTERINT too--that is clandestine collection of intelligence from foreign computer networks and protection
of US Govt. networks from foreign penetration.
The NSA is not a human intelligence (HUMINT) agency. It does not raise sources in foreign countries. It uses gadgets
and technologies for penetrating foreign gadgets and telecommunication and computer networks. But, for such
penetration, it needs human assets who can help it identify weak points in foreign networks, provide access to
telephone lines serving the offices and residences of individuals occupying sensitive positions etc.
It depends on the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), organisations such as the Voice of America (VOA) and academic
institutions such as Carnegie Mellon for such assistance.
Despite its immense human and technological resources, the NSA cannot provide effective coverage purely with the
help of interception stations located in US territory. It needs to have monitoring stations in foreign territory.
In countries, which covertly collaborate with the NSA such as the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea,
Pakistan and Israel, the monitoring stations have been set up with the permission of the local government. Till last
year, the US State Department was strongly opposing declassification of the fact that the NSA clandestinely collected
SIGINT from space (satellite telephone calls monitoring) due to concerns that it could embarrass these countries.
In other countries, the monitoring stations are set up clandestinely, without the knowledge of the local government,
either inside the premises of the US diplomatic missions or as part of the VOA set-up.
Transcribed from an intel/Sigint monitor source in India.-- (SD1)
on November 1,1952, to unify all clandestine activities for the collection of foreign communications intelligence
(COMINT) through the interception of foreign wireless and telephone networks.
Its charter was expanded in 1971 to cover clandestine collection of foreign electronic (ELINT) and telemetric (TELINT)
intelligence. It thus became the USA's SIGINT set-up covering COMINT, ELINT and TELINT.
The next year, it was entrusted with the exclusive responsibility for SIGCOUNTERINT--that is, protection of the US
Govt's SIGINT assets from foreign penetration and development and protection of the cryptologic systems used by
the US Govt. For this purpose, a Central Security Service (CSS) was created as part of the NSA.
In the 1990s, the Clinton Administration further expanded the NSA's charter to include CYBERINT and
CYBERCOUNTERINT too--that is clandestine collection of intelligence from foreign computer networks and protection
of US Govt. networks from foreign penetration.
The NSA is not a human intelligence (HUMINT) agency. It does not raise sources in foreign countries. It uses gadgets
and technologies for penetrating foreign gadgets and telecommunication and computer networks. But, for such
penetration, it needs human assets who can help it identify weak points in foreign networks, provide access to
telephone lines serving the offices and residences of individuals occupying sensitive positions etc.
It depends on the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), organisations such as the Voice of America (VOA) and academic
institutions such as Carnegie Mellon for such assistance.
Despite its immense human and technological resources, the NSA cannot provide effective coverage purely with the
help of interception stations located in US territory. It needs to have monitoring stations in foreign territory.
In countries, which covertly collaborate with the NSA such as the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea,
Pakistan and Israel, the monitoring stations have been set up with the permission of the local government. Till last
year, the US State Department was strongly opposing declassification of the fact that the NSA clandestinely collected
SIGINT from space (satellite telephone calls monitoring) due to concerns that it could embarrass these countries.
In other countries, the monitoring stations are set up clandestinely, without the knowledge of the local government,
either inside the premises of the US diplomatic missions or as part of the VOA set-up.
Transcribed from an intel/Sigint monitor source in India.-- (SD1)
SIGINT: Background
