Intelligence Gathering

Sigint

Signals intelligence, or electronic eavesdropping, is the collection of signals from electronic and communications technologies. Virtually any communication system can be penetrated by a vast array of spy satellites, surveillance planes, computers, and telecom equipment around the world. Thus, the challenge for intelligence services is not access, but developing methodologies for pulling actionable intelligence from massive amounts of data. For example, al Qaeda has used both high- and low-technology means to coordinate its activities. In organizing the September 11 attacks, the terrorists exchanged hundreds of e-mails and booked airline tickets online; they also protected their communications by using public computer terminals, anonymous e-mail services, and encrypted websites.

Starting in 2005, intelligence agencies engaged in computer-to-computer signals intelligence exploration and began closely examining Internet protocol network intercepts and forensics analysis as new weapons. Traditional signals intelligence professionals had shied away from this type of intelligence gathering, but they now began to realize that the computer-to-computer intelligence gap could be filled. It is possible to target a section of the Internet—even the sections that originate in small countries—to find targets of interest online. The new technologies enabled security officials to track terrorist suspects internally, and they allowed paramilitary units to spy on terrorist computer communications.

Network forensics allows SIGINT units to capture network traffic for several requirements. Traditional data collection, alerting, and analysis help officials capture targeted e-mail, chat sessions, web pages, file transfer protocol downloads, logs, and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) communications from network gatekeepers such as Internet service providers. It also provides near-real-time analysis and reporting to create actionable intelligence from network traffic. Additionally, it allows the SIGINT units to conduct relational surveys by monitoring contacts of known terrorist suspects, building orders of battle around enemy organizations.

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