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Definition: DOD intelligence glossary


The following terms and definitions are from the Department of Defense Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms. See DOD cyberspace glossary.

 DOD Intelligence Terms (definitions below)

  1 - intelligence
  2 - acoustic
  3 - advanced geospatial (AGI)
  4 - all-source intelligence
  5 - communications (COMINT)
  6 - counterintelligence (CI)
  7 - domestic
  8 - electronic (ELINT)
  9 - foreign instrumentation signals (FISINT)
 10 - geospatial (GEOINT)
 11 - human (HUMINT)
 12 - human resouces (HUMINT)
 13 - imagery (IMINT)
 14 - measurement and signature (MASINT)
 15 - medical (MEDINT)
 16 - open-source (OSINT)
 17 - scientific and technical (S&TI)
 18 - signals (SIGINT)
 19 - technical (TECHINT)


1 - intelligence
The product resulting from the collection, processing, integration, evaluation, analysis, and interpretation of available information concerning foreign nations, hostile or potentially hostile forces or elements, or areas of actual or potential operations. The term is also applied to the activity which results in the product and to the organizations engaged in such activity.

2 - acoustic intelligence
Intelligence derived from the collection and
processing of acoustic phenomena.

3 - advanced geospatial intelligence (AGI)
Refers to the technical, geospatial, and intelligence information derived through interpretation or analysis using advanced processing of all data collected by imagery or imagery-related collection systems. Also known as imagery-derived measurement and signature intelligence

4 - all-source intelligence
1. Intelligence products and/or organizations and activities that incorporate all sources of information, most frequently including human resources intelligence, imagery intelligence, measurement and signature intelligence, signals intelligence, and open-source data in the production of finished intelligence. 2. In intelligence collection, a phrase that indicates that in the satisfaction of intelligence requirements, all collection, processing, exploitation, and reporting systems and resources are identified for possible use and those most capable are tasked.

5 - communications intelligence (COMINT)
Technical information and intelligence derived from foreign communications by other than the intended recipients.

6 - counterintelligence (CI)
Information gathered and activities conducted to protect against espionage, other intelligence activities, sabotage, or assassinations conducted by or on behalf of foreign governments or elements thereof, foreign organizations, or foreign persons, or international terrorist activities.

7 - cyber counterintelligence
Measures to identify, penetrate, or neutralize foreign operations that use cyber means as the primary tradecraft methodology, as well as foreign intelligence service collection efforts that use traditional methods to gauge cyber capabilities and intentions.

8 - domestic intelligence
Intelligence relating to activities or conditions within the United States that threaten internal security and that might require the employment of troops; and intelligence relating to activities of individuals or agencies potentially or actually dangerous to the security of the Department of Defense.

9 - electronic intelligence (ELINT)
Technical and geolocation intelligence derived from foreign noncommunications electromagnetic radiations emanating from other than nuclear detonations or radioactive sources.

10 - foreign instrumentation signals intelligence (FISINT)
Technical information and intelligence derived from the intercept of foreign electromagnetic emissions associated with the testing and operational deployment of non-US aerospace, surface, and subsurface systems. Foreign instrumentation signals intelligence is a subcategory of signals intelligence. Foreign instrumentation signals include but are not limited to telemetry, beaconry, electronic interrogators, and video data links.

11 - geospatial intelligence (GEOINT)
The exploitation and analysis of imagery and geospatial information to describe, assess, and visually depict physical features and geographically referenced activities on the Earth. Geospatial intelligence consists of imagery, imagery intelligence, and geospatial information.

12 - human intelligence (HUMINT)
A category of intelligence derived from information collected and provided by human sources.

13 - human resources intelligence (HUMINT)
The intelligence derived from the intelligence collection discipline that uses human beings as both sources and collectors, and where the human being is the primary collection instrument.

14 - imagery intelligence (IMINT)
The technical, geographic, and intelligence information derived through the interpretation or analysis of imagery and collateral materials.

15 - measurement and signature intelligence (MASINT)
obtained by quantitative and qualitative analysis of data (metric, angle, spatial, wavelength, time dependence, modulation, plasma, and hydromagnetic) derived from specific technical sensors for the purpose of identifying any distinctive features associated with the emitter or sender, and to facilitate subsequent identification and/or measurement of the same. The detected feature may be either reflected or emitted.

16 - medical intelligence (MEDINT)
That category of intelligence resulting from collection, evaluation, analysis, and interpretation of foreign medical, bio-scientific, and environmental information that is of interest to strategic planning and to military medical planning and operations for the conservation of the fighting strength of friendly forces and the formation of assessments of foreign medical capabilities in both military and civilian sectors.

17 - open-source intelligence (OSINT)
Information of potential intelligence value that is available to the general public.

18 - scientific and technical intelligence (S&TI)
The product resulting from the collection, evaluation, analysis, and interpretation of foreign scientific and technical information that covers: a. foreign developments in basic and applied research and in applied engineering techniques; and b. scientific and technical characteristics, capabilities, and limitations of all foreign military systems, weapons, weapon systems, and materiel; the research and development related thereto; and the production methods employed for their manufacture.

19 - signals intelligence (SIGINT)
1. A category of intelligence comprising either individually or in combination all communications intelligence, electronic intelligence, and foreign instrumentation signals intelligence, however transmitted. 2. Intelligence derived from communications, electronic, and foreign instrumentation signals.

20 - technical intelligence (TECHINT)
Intelligence derived from the collection, processing, analysis, and exploitation of data and information pertaining to foreign equipment and materiel for the purposes of preventing technological surprise, assessing foreign scientific and technical capabilities, and developing countermeasures designed to neutralize an adversary's technological advantages.