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(U//FOUO) Pre-Pub Sharing of SIGINT: An Everyday Event
FROM: Analysis & Production Operations Staff (S2041)
Unknown
Run Date: 09/21/2005
(U//FOUO) A&P encourages analysts to share SIGINT with Intelligence Community peers as part
of analytic collaboration -- even before the SIGINT is published.
(U//FOUO) In the not-very-distant past, if you had asked someone, "How is SIGINT
disseminated?" you would have received a simple answer: "Via a SIGINT report." The idea of
sharing SIGINT outside the context of a formal report was almost unheard of! Of course, things
are very different in the post-9/11 world. Analysts from NSA and other intelligence agencies now
routinely collaborate and analyze SIGINT data before a report has been issued. In fact, this
process of "disseminating for analytic collaboration" is not only authorized, but is now strongly
encouraged, with a USSID in place to support it.
(U//FOUO) USSID CR1611(P), "SIGINT Dissemination for Analytic Collaboration" -- formerly
numbered as USSID 323(P) -- clearly states that SIGINT analysts can collaborate using
information that has been minimized for U.S./2nd Party identities and evaluated for foreign
intelligence (without revealing sources and methods) prior to publishing a report. The
collaborative analysis may lead to a report at a later time, but the sharing of SIGINT data at this
stage is to find context and significance for the SIGINT. It is important to note here that the
purpose of analytic collaboration is not to make the analysts' job easier by eliminating the need
to do a SIGINT report, but rather to make for better SIGINT analysis.
(U//FOUO) The guidance established in USSID 1611(P) applies when SIGINT analysis could
benefit significantly by collaborating analytically with the appropriate partner. We share that
information in briefings, emails, discussions, phone calls, etc. Then we document the sharing in
a Collaboration Record, a form found on A&P's Information Sharing web page (go infoshare) that
is very easy to use.
(U//FOUO) The A&P Ops Staff strongly encourages all analysts to trust our partners and share
freely within established guidelines for that relationship. We need to emphasize that the
dissemination of Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) data (both content and metadata)
requires special handling. Be sure to consult the specific guidelines before sharing any FISAderived SIGINT information. (See FISA FAQ .)
(U) The analyst should work with the customer/partner to understand where best in the "SIGINT
stream" information sharing can begin to achieve the required outcome. The analyst should then
share success stories of how analytic collaboration improved both SIGINT reporting and that of
our partners. A&P is establishing an incentive awards program for information sharing, and will
publish more information on this later.
(U) A link to the Collaboration Record is provided below, as is the link to USSID 1611(P). Should
you have any questions, feel free to contact the A&P Ops Staff at
.
Collaboration Record
USSID CR1611(P)
"(U//FOUO) SIDtoday articles may not be republished or reposted outside NSANet
without the consent of S0121 (DL sid_comms)."
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DERIVED FROM: NSA/CSSM 1-52, DATED 08 JAN 2007 DECLASSIFY ON: 20320108