Source (news service)

In connection with a news service, source denotes in the broad sense the origin of information . In a narrower understanding, only the human source ( V-man ) is understood by this.

species

The sources for the information volume of an intelligence service can be divided into:

Openly accessible information:
- Open information (OSINT; Internet , media of all kinds such as national and international newspapers , magazines , news programs and other publications )

Non-public, covert / intelligence-gathering information:
- human sources ( HUMINT )
  - well-planned sources
  - Interviews with refugees and prisoners of war
  - Discussion skimming (without control and knowledge of the person about the intelligence background of his counterpart)
- Telecommunication and electronic reconnaissance (SIGINT)
  - Telecommunication intelligence (COMINT)
    - from electromagnetic emissions
    - wired
  - Electronic reconnaissance (ELINT; electromagnetic emissions without communication content)
    - MASINT (unintentional electromagnetic emissions without communication content)
- Imaging education (IMINT)
  - through reconnaissance satellites
  - through other aerial photos
- Information from other authorities

The openly accessible information makes up the majority of the information volume.

Source protection

Source protection is usually only understood to mean the protection of human sources. Source protection is the highest protection of an intelligence service. The acquisition of sources always presupposes that they are assured of absolute confidentiality and protection of their identity. This assurance is necessary in view of the dangers to which the sources concerned expose themselves. It not only serves to protect the identity of existing sources, but is also intended to ensure that future sources commit themselves to cooperation.

Individual evidence

^ ^A ^b Helmut Roewer, Stefan Schäfer, Matthias Uhl: Lexicon of secret services in the 20th century . with 1465 illustrations and organizational charts. Herbig, Munich 2003, ISBN 978-3-7766-2317-8 , pp. 362 (keywords "source" and "source protection").
^ JP 2-0 Joint Intelligence. (PDF) In: Joint Chiefs of Staff . October 22, 2013, accessed April 25, 2020 .
↑ How do foreign intelligence services work? In: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution . Retrieved April 24, 2020 .
↑ 19th German Bundestag (Ed.): Answer of the Federal Government . December 30, 2019, p. 4 ( BT-Drs. 19/16257 [accessed on April 24, 2020]).

[Lexikon-1] A ^b Helmut Roewer, Stefan Schäfer, Matthias Uhl: Lexicon of secret services in the 20th century . with 1465 illustrations and organizational charts. Herbig, Munich 2003, ISBN 978-3-7766-2317-8 , pp. 362 (keywords "source" and "source protection").

[2] JP 2-0 Joint Intelligence. (PDF) In: Joint Chiefs of Staff . October 22, 2013, accessed April 25, 2020 .

[3] How do foreign intelligence services work? In: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution . Retrieved April 24, 2020 .

[4] 19th German Bundestag (Ed.): Answer of the Federal Government . December 30, 2019, p. 4 ( BT-Drs. 19/16257 [accessed on April 24, 2020]).