List of intelligence gathering disciplines
Appearance
Intelligence Gathering Disciplines
HUMINT
Human Intelligence—gathered from a person on the ground.
- Espionage
- Friendly accredited diplomats
- Military attaches
- Non-governmental organizations (NGOs)
- Patrolling (Military police, patrols, etc.)
- Prisoners of war (POWs) or detainees
- Refugees
- Strategic reconnaissance, as by special forces
- Traveler debriefing (e.g., CIA Domestic Contact Service)
GEOINT
Geospatial Intelligence—gathered from satellite, aerial photography, mapping/terrain data
- IMINT—Imagery Intelligence: gathered from satellite and aerial photography
MASINT
Measurement and Signature Intelligence
- Electro-optical MASINT
- Nuclear MASINT
- Geophysical MASINT
- Weather and Sea Intelligence MASINT
- Acoustic MASINT (also known as ACOUSTINT or ACINT - Acoustic phenomena)
- Seismic MASINT
- Magnetic MASINT
- Gravitimetric MASINT
- Radar MASINT
- Materials MASINT
- Radiofrequency MASINT
OSINT
Open Source Intelligence—gathered from open sources.
Can be further segmented by source type; Internet/General, Scientific/Technical and various HUMINT specialties (e.g. trade shows, association meetings, interviews, etc.)
SIGINT
Signals Intelligence—gathered from interception of signals
- COMINT—Communications Intelligence
- ELINT—Electronic Intelligence: gathered from non-communications electronic emissions
TECHINT
Technical Intelligence—gathered from analysis of weapons and equipment used by the armed forces of foreign nations, or environmental conditions.
- MEDINT—Medical Intelligence: gathered from analysis of medical records and/or actual physiological examinations to determine health and/or particular ailments/allergetic conditions for exploitation.
FININT
Financial Intelligence—gathered from analysis of monetary transactions
See also