DYNAMIC PAGE -- HIGHEST POSSIBLE CLASSIFICATION IS
TOP SECRET // SI / TK // REL TO USA AUS CAN GBR NZL
(U//FOUO) SID Sets Goal: To Raise Awareness of Adversarial D&D
FROM:
Intelligence Security Issues (S02L3)
Run Date: 03/01/2006
(S//SI) An awareness of adversarial use of Denial and Deception (D&D) has always been a
critical part of the intelligence analysis process. As the Performance and Accountability Report
reminded us, " the Indian nuclear tests of May 1998 [which took the intelligence community by
surprise] are evidence of just how vulnerable the SIGINT system is to foreign D&D. " Today, it
may be more critical than ever before that SIGINTers worldwide maintain an awareness of D&D
tactics and techniques - and SID has set objectives to make this happen.
(S//SI) What is D&D, and how does it impact our analysis and collection capabilities? Denial
takes on many forms: it can occur when targets encrypt, compartmentalize, and/or conceal their
information, whereabouts, and facilities. Deception is when targets deliberately falsify
information to mislead us. When we collect and analyze our information, we must exercise
healthy skepticism and avoid accepting the information at face value.
(U//FOUO) In recognition of the importance of D&D awareness, SID leadership recently
amended the United States SIGINT System Strategic Missions Directive to include a "countering
D&D" objective. The new objective is included under its second goal, "Optimize SIGINT
Capabilities for Mission Success," and reads:
Elevate awareness of adversarial denial and deception tactics and techniques in order to
identify and counter such efforts and, thereby, optimize SIGINT performance.
(U//FOUO) Additional goals are included in the most recent NSA/CSS Performance and
Accountability Report. They call for the use of quantifiable measures to optimize SIGINT D&D
performance. (See the PAR's "National Foreign Intelligence Program Performance Goals" section,
page 68.)
(U//FOUO) Watch for future articles on D&D. In the meantime, see the Intelligence Security
Issues (S02L3) organization's Denial and Deception webpage for further info.
(U) See also the earlier SID today article: A Horse Is a Horse, Of Course, Of Course .
"(U//FOUO) SIDtoday articles may not be republished or reposted outside NSANet
without the consent of S0121 (DL sid_comms)."
DYNAMIC PAGE -- HIGHEST POSSIBLE CLASSIFICATION IS
TOP SECRET // SI / TK // REL TO USA AUS CAN GBR NZL
DERIVED FROM: NSA/CSSM 1-52, DATED 08 JAN 2007 DECLASSIFY ON: 20320108