National security is a systematic way of maintaining the safety of a nation. Violations of this safety can occur in many different ways. Espionage, which is the use of spies to obtain government secrets, and terrorism, which is the use of violence or threat of violence to attain political goals, are commonly known ways to violate a nation's security.
Within the intelligence community, passing misleading information to legislative intelligence committee officials who are required to be informed, can also be considered a violation of national security, according to the National Security Act of 1947.
National Security Council
Created in 1947, the National Security Council is the U.S. president's lead forum for reviewing national security matters. It is the council that takes under advisement what constitutes a violation of the national security. The council was started by President Harry S. Truman and is used to coordinate national security policy among government agencies that handle national security matters, according to the White House website.
The FBI and National Security
The FBI categorizes national security crimes its investigates under three titles: counter terrorism, counterintelligence and cyber crimes. The word "counter" indicates a direct effort by U.S. government officials to stop the terrorism or spies infiltrating the government.
Under counter terrorism, investigated are crimes of both international and domestic in nature as well as investigations into the use of weapons of mass destruction.
Counterintelligence crimes that are investigated are counterespionage, counter proliferation and economic espionage. Proliferation by definition, means rapid accrual---usually weapons.
Under cyber crimes, the FBI investigates computer intrusions, on line predators, piracy and intellectual property theft, and Internet fraud, according to the FBI web site.
National Security Threat List
The FBI's foreign counterintelligence mission is set out in a multi-point strategy. It forms the basis of the National Security Threat List.
The list is sub-divided into either activities or entities that constitute what is considered a threat to national security. These threats are investigated for violations to national security. The entities list is classified information, according to the FBI, but activities that are investigated include terrorism, espionage and proliferation, which is the rapid increase of activity or gathering of weapons.
Also watched for national security violations is any activity deemed economic espionage. It is the clandestine targeting or acquisition of financial, trade or economic policy information, critical technologies or the influencing of sensitive economic policy decisions. Persons or entities carrying out activities in these areas will be monitored for threat level.
Targeting the Government and the Information Structure
Targeting the U.S. government's information infrastructure, the government or its officials; or spying on the United States for another country, are all violations of national security.
Foreign power-sponsored or coordinated intelligence activity that would have a person interacting, modifying or otherwise compromising the information on government computer systems illegally is a national security violation, as is targeting U.S. intelligence personnel, U.S. foreign affairs or defense personnel and the activities they carry out and all other activities related to national preparedness, are considered threats and possible violations to national security.
Communicating false information designed to distort the way people view the U.S. government and intelligence activity regarding domestic policy, U.S. foreign policy or economic strategy is considered a national security threat.
The Department of Homeland Security
The Department of Homeland Security was formed in 2001. It merges 22 separate security agencies for the best coordination if the country is attacked or show signs of security violations.
It is responsible for security issues by protecting and monitoring the U.S. borders and also U.S. emergency preparedness and response, information analysis and infrastructure protection and science and technology management. The three agencies that carry out the goals and missions of the DHS are the Coast Guard, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and U.S. Secret Service.
Reference
- Whitehouse.gov: National Security Council
- Usda.gov: National Security Threat List
- Department of Homeland Security
- FBI: What We Investigate
Resource
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