This is where you will find cards for intelligence and counterintelligence services, not only Polish ones. Every card answers the same questions: when the service was founded, whom it reports to, its legal basis and what it does.
We also show genealogy separately: many services have changed their names and structures, and today’s institutions have predecessors worth knowing in order to understand their history.
Service · Poland (Second Polish Republic)
Cipher Bureau (Biuro Szyfrów)
A unit of the Second Department of the Polish General Staff (Oddział II) responsible for Poland's own ciphers and for radio intelligence. Its cryptologists were the first to break the military Enigma.
Service · Poland (Second Polish Republic)
Second Department of the General (Main) Staff of the Polish Army (Oddział II)
Military intelligence and counterintelligence of the Second Polish Republic, known colloquially as the “dwójka” (“the Two”). Its structure included the Cipher Bureau, which broke Enigma.
Service · Poland (Polish People's Republic)
Department I of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (civilian intelligence of the Polish People's Republic)
The civilian intelligence branch of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MSW) of the Polish People's Republic, in operation from 28 November 1956 to 31 July 1990.
Service · Poland (Polish People's Republic)
Security Service (SB)
A service within the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Polish People's Republic, in operation from 28 November 1956; dissolved in 1990 by the Act on the Office of State Protection.
Service · Canada
CSIS (Canadian Security Intelligence Service)
Canada's civilian security intelligence service, created in 1984 to replace the Security Service of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).
Service · Australia
ASIO (Australian Security Intelligence Organisation)
Australia's security service, established on 16 March 1949; it advises the government on threats to Australians and to Australia's interests.
Service · Australia
ASIS (Australian Secret Intelligence Service)
Australia's foreign intelligence service, established in 1952; its existence was not officially acknowledged until 1977.
Service · Netherlands
AIVD (Algemene Inlichtingen- en Veiligheidsdienst)
The Dutch General Intelligence and Security Service, successor to the BVD; since 29 May 2002 it has also conducted foreign intelligence.
Service · Italy
AISE (Agenzia Informazioni e Sicurezza Esterna)
Italy's external intelligence agency, created by Law No. 124 of 3 August 2007 to replace the military SISMI.
Service · Italy
AISI (Agenzia Informazioni e Sicurezza Interna)
Italy's internal security agency, created by Law No. 124 of 2007 to replace the SISDE; it operates within national territory.
Service · Spain
CNI (Centro Nacional de Inteligencia)
Spain's intelligence service, created by Law 11/2002 of 6 May 2002 to replace the CESID; organisationally attached to the Ministry of Defence.
Service · Czech Republic
BIS (Bezpečnostní informační služba)
The Czech Security Information Service – the civilian counterintelligence service, operating under this name since 30 July 1994; its predecessors were set up after State Security (StB) was dissolved in 1990.
Service · Turkey
MİT (Millî İstihbarat Teşkilâtı)
Turkey’s National Intelligence Organisation, operating under Act No. 2937 of 1983; it traces its origins to a service created by a government decision of 19 December 1926.
Service · India
R&AW (Research and Analysis Wing)
India’s foreign intelligence service, created in 1968 within the Cabinet Secretariat; it has no statute of its own, and its charter of 2000 is not public.
Service · Pakistan
ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence)
Pakistan’s Directorate of Inter-Services Intelligence, created while Liaquat Ali Khan was prime minister; its mandate is not set out in any public statute.
Service · Japan
PSIA (Public Security Intelligence Agency)
Japan’s Public Security Intelligence Agency, an external organ of the Ministry of Justice, established on 21 July 1952.
Service · Poland
Office of State Protection (UOP)
The Office of State Protection (Urząd Ochrony Państwa, UOP), a Polish service created in 1990 to protect the security of the state. It was abolished by a 2002 Act that created the ABW and the AW.
Service · Poland
Internal Security Agency (ABW)
The Internal Security Agency (Agencja Bezpieczeństwa Wewnętrznego, ABW), the Polish service responsible for protecting the internal security of the state and its constitutional order. Its head reports directly to the Prime Minister.
Service · Poland
Foreign Intelligence Agency (AW)
The Foreign Intelligence Agency (Agencja Wywiadu, AW), the Polish service responsible for protecting the external security of the state. It operates mainly outside Poland, and its head reports directly to the Prime Minister.
Service · Poland
Military Counterintelligence Service (SKW)
The Military Counterintelligence Service (Służba Kontrwywiadu Wojskowego, SKW), the Polish special service responsible for protection against internal threats to the defence of the state and to the security and combat capability of the Armed Forces. Its head reports to the Minister of National Defence.
Service · Poland
Military Intelligence Service (SWW)
The Military Intelligence Service (Służba Wywiadu Wojskowego, SWW), the Polish special service responsible for protection against external threats to the defence of the state. Its head reports to the Minister of National Defence.
Service · United Kingdom
MI5 (Security Service)
The British security service, whose role is defined in the Security Service Act 1989: protecting national security, including against terrorism, espionage and sabotage.
Service · Poland
Military Information Services (WSI)
Poland’s military intelligence and counterintelligence service. Recognised in statute in 1991, it operated from 2003 under its own Act, which was repealed with effect from 30 September 2006. The liquidation of the WSI and the verification of its soldiers and employees were carried out by two commissions established by an Act of 9 June 2006.
Service · United Kingdom
SIS (MI6, Secret Intelligence Service)
The United Kingdom’s foreign intelligence service. It obtains and provides information about the actions and intentions of persons outside the British Islands; since 1994 it has operated on a statutory basis under the authority of the Foreign Secretary.
Service · United Kingdom
GCHQ (Government Communications Headquarters)
The United Kingdom’s signals intelligence and information security agency, successor to the Government Code and Cypher School founded in 1919. It has been based in Cheltenham since 1950.
Service · United Kingdom
Defence Intelligence (United Kingdom)
The United Kingdom’s military intelligence organisation: it provides intelligence products and assessments to the Ministry of Defence and the government.
Service · France
DGSE (Direction générale de la sécurité extérieure)
France’s foreign intelligence service, global in scope, with a dual mission of intelligence and special action. It reports directly to the Minister of the Armed Forces and has been called the DGSE since 1982.
Service · France
SDECE (Service de documentation extérieure et de contre-espionnage)
France’s foreign intelligence and counterespionage service from 1946 to 1982, predecessor of the DGSE.
Service · France
DGSI (Direction générale de la sécurité intérieure)
France’s internal security service, combining the roles of an intelligence service and a specialised law enforcement agency. It reports to the Minister of the Interior.
Service · France
DRM (Direction du renseignement militaire)
France’s military intelligence service, established on 16 June 1992 and reporting to the Chief of the Defence Staff.
Service · France
DRSD (Direction du renseignement et de la sécurité de la défense)
France’s military counterintelligence service (“counter-interference”) within the defence ministry, successor to the DPSD since 2016.
Service · Germany
BND (Bundesnachrichtendienst)
Germany’s Federal Intelligence Service (foreign intelligence), founded on 1 April 1956. It is a federal authority within the remit of the Federal Chancellery; since 2019 its headquarters have been in Berlin.
Service · Germany
BfV (Bundesamt für Verfassungsschutz)
Germany’s Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, a counterintelligence and domestic security service founded in 1950. It is based in Cologne and reports to the Federal Minister of the Interior.
Service · Germany
MAD (Militärischer Abschirmdienst)
Germany’s military counterintelligence service: a civilian federal authority within the defence ministry, acting as the Bundeswehr’s office for the protection of the constitution and its counterintelligence security service.
Service · Germany (Third Reich)
Abwehr
The military intelligence and counterintelligence service of the Third Reich, from 1938 as the Amt Ausland/Abwehr of the Wehrmacht High Command (OKW). From 1935 to 1944 it was headed by Admiral Wilhelm Canaris.
Service · German Democratic Republic (GDR)
MfS (Ministerium für Staatssicherheit, Stasi)
The Ministry for State Security of the German Democratic Republic (1950–1989): a secret political police, intelligence service and investigative body, in practice answerable solely to the SED leadership.
Service · USA
CIA (Central Intelligence Agency)
The United States’ civilian foreign intelligence service, created under the National Security Act of 1947; it has officially existed since 18 September 1947.
Service · USA
NSA (National Security Agency)
The United States’ cryptologic agency, responsible for signals intelligence and cybersecurity. It has existed since 4 November 1952, when it replaced the Armed Forces Security Agency.
Service · USA
FBI – national security role
The US Federal Bureau of Investigation is both a law enforcement agency and an intelligence service, and one of the lead agencies for counterintelligence against foreign states on US territory.
Service · USA
DIA (Defense Intelligence Agency)
The central military intelligence organisation of the US Department of Defense, established on 1 October 1961.
Service · USA
ODNI (Office of the Director of National Intelligence)
The Office of the US Director of National Intelligence, created by the 2004 intelligence reform act following the 9/11 Commission report; it has operated since 22 April 2005 and oversees the intelligence community.
Service · USSR
KGB (Committee for State Security of the USSR, 1954–1991)
The intelligence, counterintelligence and state security service of the Soviet Union, formally established on 13 March 1954 and dissolved in November 1991. Its tasks were taken over by Russian services, including the SVR and the FSB.
Service · Russian Federation
FSB (Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation)
Russia’s counterintelligence and internal security service, operating under the federal law of 3 April 1995; it is directed by the President of the Russian Federation.
Service · Russian Federation
SVR (Foreign Intelligence Service of the Russian Federation)
Russia’s civilian foreign intelligence service, established on 18 December 1991 as the successor to the KGB’s First Chief Directorate; it operates under the law “On Foreign Intelligence” of 10 January 1996.
Service · Russian Federation
GRU (GU): Russian military intelligence
The military intelligence service of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, referred to in EU documents as the GU/GRU. Governments and courts in many countries have attributed to it cyber attacks, an attempted intrusion into the OPCW and the Salisbury attack.
Service · Israel
Mossad (Institute for Intelligence and Special Operations, Israel)
Israel’s foreign intelligence service, established on the instructions of Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion; its first head was Reuven Shiloah (1949–1952). It reports to the Prime Minister; its legal basis and activities are largely classified.
Service · Israel
Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency, Shabak)
Israel’s internal security and counterintelligence service (officially the General Security Service). Its existence was recorded in law on 18 February 1949; since 2002 it has operated under a public statute.
Service · Israel
Aman (Military Intelligence Directorate, Israel)
The military intelligence service of the Israel Defense Forces, which grew out of the 1948 Intelligence Service. It is responsible for most areas of intelligence, including the national intelligence estimate.
Service · People’s Republic of China
MSS (Ministry of State Security of the People’s Republic of China)
China’s intelligence, counterintelligence and political security ministry, established in 1983. Its statutes name the “state security organs” as the competent organs for counterespionage; its structure and budget are not public.
Service · Ukraine
SBU (Security Service of Ukraine)
Ukraine’s counterintelligence and state security service: a special-purpose state body with law enforcement functions. It operates under the law of 25 March 1992, a date the SBU itself regards as its founding date.
Service · Ukraine
HUR (Defence Intelligence of Ukraine, military intelligence)
The military intelligence service of Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence, formed in 1992–1994 by merging two intelligence directorates. It is one of the three intelligence bodies named in the 2020 law “On Intelligence”.
● This section grows in batches: new cards are added together with their sources.
A TheScience.fm podcast
Na celowniku
Conversations on security with recognised guests (in Polish).