Homeland Security

Intelligence Collections Disciplines (INTs)

In Lesson 3, you also briefly identified and defined the five basic sources of information. These are referred to as intelligence collection disciplines, or the INTs. These five disciplines are the source of all the information that is collected to produce intelligence products. Remember, it is a bit of a misperception that secret “movie-like” missions collect all information. While it is true that some intelligence is indeed collected in the more classic “spy”-type way, a great deal of information is obtained by looking at sources that are easily accessible to the general public.

For the purposes of this course, we will use the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)’s explanations of the five INTs, which include a high-level discussion of which members of the IC use them.

Human Intelligence (HUMINT)

“To lack intelligence is to be in the ring blindfolded.”

—General David M. Shoup, former Commandant of the Marine Corps

According to the FBI, Human Intelligence (HUMINT) is the collection of information from human sources. The collection may be done openly. For example, when FBI agents interview witnesses or suspects, or it may be done through clandestine or covert means such as having a confidential informant or a human source (or espionage overseas). Within the United States, HUMINT collection is regularly employed by the FBI as well as other agencies like the DEA and other law enforcement agencies. Beyond U.S. borders, HUMINT is generally collected by the CIA, but also by other U.S. components abroad such as the DIA (Federal Bureau of Investigations, 2016).

“HUMINT provides an otherwise unattainable window into the personality, emotional makeup, and innermost secrets of those who are being targeted for influence operations. HUMINT is unmatched in its ability to uncover this often private, subtle, and privileged information about individuals and groups who we want to influence...As you read this, throughout the world, thousands of men and women are quietly gathering intelligence, manipulating human relationships, assessing likely informants, and influencing leaders” (Norowitz, 2010, pp. 219-220).

“HUMINT includes not only using CIA officers to recruit sources in foreign governments, but also using undercover police officers to penetrate criminal networks and build cases. Much of law enforcement investigative work, such as observing suspicious behavior, surveilling suspects, and undercover work, is collecting HUMINT” (Mayer, 2016, p. 3).

Signals Intelligence (SIGINT)

According to the FBI, “Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) refers to electronic transmissions that can be collected by ships, planes, ground sites, or satellites. Communications Intelligence (COMINT) is a type of SIGINT and refers to the interception of communications between two parties and includes electronic intelligence (ELINT) and foreign instrumentation signals intelligence (FISINT). U.S. SIGINT satellites are designed and built by the National Reconnaissance Office, although conducting U.S. signals intelligence activities is primarily the responsibility of the National Security Agency (NSA)” (Federal Bureau of Investigations 2016).” 

Measurement and Signatures Intelligence (MASINT)

According to the FBI, “Measurement and Signatures Intelligence (MASINT) is a relatively little-known collection discipline that concerns weapons capabilities and industrial activities.”

MASINT includes the advanced processing and use of data gathered from various collection systems.

“In simple terms, MASINT involves finding a fingerprint for a target. This may include comparing physical features, measuring phenomena and plotting signatures. This information can be derived from many different types of emissions—nuclear radiation; electro-optical energy such as ultraviolet, infrared and visible light; radar; radio frequency; geophysical elements such as acoustic, seismic, magnetic and gravitational data; and material effluence, including debris” (Ackerman, 2002, para. 4).

MASINT has become increasingly important due to growing concern about the existence and spread of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs). MASINT can be used, for example, to help identify chemical weapons or pinpoint the specific features of unknown weapons systems. The FBI’s extensive forensic work is a type of MASINT. The FBI Laboratory’s Chem-Bio Sciences Unit, for example, provides analysis to detect traces of chemical, biological, or nuclear materials to support the prevention, investigation, and prosecution of terrorist activities. pplications of MASINT in homeland security includes many different types of sensors and measurement devices to scan for harmful substances attempting to enter the country by air, land or sea. For example, many DHS components employ sensors as “many of MASINT’s technologies are particularly useful for countering chemical, biological or nuclear threats” (Ackerman, 2002, para. 8).

“Each year, about 12 million shipping containers enter U.S. ports. After the September 11, 2001, attacks, concern arose that terrorists might use containers to smuggle weapons of mass destruction—particularly nuclear weapons—into the country. To reduce that threat, the federal government implemented several security measures. Among them, Customs and Border Protection (CBP), an agency of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), scans every container entering the United States by sea or land to detect radiation. CBP also identifies about 5 percent of all incoming seaborne containers as high risk, and it inspects those containers with X-ray or gamma-ray imaging systems” (Hall, 2016, p. 1).

Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT)

According to the FBI,

“Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) refers to a broad array of information and sources that are generally available, including information obtained from the media (newspapers, radio, television, etc.), professional and academic records (papers, conferences, professional associations, etc.), and public data (government reports, demographics, hearings, speeches, etc.). Unlike the other INTs, open-source intelligence is not the responsibility of any one agency, but instead is collected by the entire USIC. One advantage of OSINT is its accessibility, although the sheer amount of available information can make it difficult to know what is of value. Determining the data’s source and its reliability can also be complicated. OSINT data therefore still requires review and analysis to be of use to policymakers” (Federal Bureau of Investigations, 2016).

In other words, OSINT is available to everybody. Facts and figures, writing and descriptions, pictures, videos, and audio recordings are all examples of OSINT. Some of these sources may be disorganized and hard to find, but the public can locate them if they know where to look. OSINT collection attempts to find nuggets of information, which can then be collated, synthesized, and analyzed. If an intelligence collector wants to learn what the newest Chinese stealth fighter planes look like, they can learn through OSINT. OSINT could also answer the question of what Ayman al-Zawahiri, Osama Bin Laden’s deputy, said about Al-Qaeda's intentions on 9/11.

OSINT may appear to be the simplest form of intelligence collection, but it is challenging because of its vast volume and because each piece of information must be verified. There are vast amounts of false and misleading information available openly. As an example, sometimes people purposely put incorrect information on Wikipedia just to see how long it takes for someone to notice. Other times people have more nefarious intentions for putting false information into the public domain. Verification is important for any intelligence process, and this is a major challenge with OSINT. It is widely known how quickly dubious information can spread throughout the Internet, a leading source of OSINT in today’s intelligence world.