Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board, United States
The Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB) is an independent agency of the federal government charged with overseeing the disposition of defense nuclear materials controlled by the Department of Energy (DOE). Created by Congress in 1988, DNFSB as of 2003 consisted of three members responsible for advising, and providing recommendations to, the secretary of energy.
Defense Security Service, United States
The Defense Security Service (DSS) serves the Department of Defense (DOD) in a number of capacities, conducting personnel security investigations, providing industrial security products and services, and offering security training to DOD personnel, contractors, and employees of other government agencies. Its most significant undertakings are the Personnel Security Investigations (PSI) Program; the Industrial Security Program (ISP); and the Security Education, Training, and Awareness Program.
Delta Force
Delta Force is one of the two principal United States counter-terrorism units, the other being the Naval Special Warfare Development Group, formerly known as Seal Team Six. Created in 1977 by Colonel Charles "Charlie" Beckwith, Delta Force is headquartered at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
Department of State Bureau of Intelligence and Research, United States
The Bureau of Intelligence and Research (INR) draws on intelligence from a range of sources to provide continuous independent analysis of global events to the secretary of state and other diplomatic policymakers. Established in 1946 to aid United States foreign policy and national security goals, the bureau's location within the Department of State means that it has more knowledge of policy ingredients in a given estimative question than the analysts at the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) or the various military intelligence agencies.
Department of State, United States
The Department of State is a cabinet-level division of the United States government concerned with the planning, conduct, and management of U.S. foreign policy and foreign relations.
DIA (Defense Intelligence Agency)
The Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) coordinates intelligence activities within the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD).
Dial Tone Decoder
Telephone conversations are sometimes surreptitiously taped using microphones or other bugging devices. These devices run the risk of being detected.
Diplomatic Security (DS), United States Bureau
The Bureau of Diplomatic Security (DS) is the law enforcement and security arm of the United States Department of State. Created on November 4, 1985, it bears responsibility for ensuring the safety of Americans who are serving their government in embassies and consulates overseas as well as protecting foreign dignitaries who visit the United States.
Dirty Tricks
Dirty tricks are clandestine activities carried out by a covert-action group to discredit, destabilize, or eliminate an opposing regime, one of its agencies or departments, or an individual. A type of covert operation, dirty tricks include everything from the spreading of false rumors to sabotage, overthrow, and assassination.
Disinformation
DNA
Because of the uniqueness of every human's DNA and the ubiquity of DNA in cells, this genetic molecule has become an important tool for the identification of individuals, both in forensics and security applications. Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) consists of two twisted strands of polymers, made up of mononucleotide units.
DNA Fingerprinting
DNA fingerprinting is the term applied to a range of techniques that are used to show similarities and dissimilarities between the DNA present in different individuals.
DNA Recognition Instruments
DNA recognition instruments allow rapid identification of the origin of DNA in an environmental or medical sample. Recognition of the source of DNA is important in pathogen (disease-causing agent) identification in public health surveillance, and diagnostic and military applications.
DNA Sequences, Unique
Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) contains genetic information of an organism that is unique for each organism. The entire cellular DNA of any organism, bacteria, plant or animal is known as its genome, as is the entire genetic material of a virus.
Document Destruction
Modern society that has become so accustomed to the digitization of data may forget just how much information remains available in physical format. Even documents stored on a computer may circulate as hard copy, and these, combined with other paper items such as phone messages, notes, memoranda, and other items provide an opportunity for the theft of useful information.
Document Forgery
The use of forgeries to deceive an enemy or affect public opinion has been a staple of disinformation throughout modern history. Forgeries can be more easily exposed than other types of active deception measures largely because careful analysis can often demonstrate convincingly that the documents are fraudulent.
DOD (United States Department of Defense)
Although it originated only in 1947, the United States Department of Defense (DOD) comprises elements that date back to the Revolutionary War. Some 3.2 million people, including active military, reservists, National Guard, and civilian personnel, work for DOD, making it one of the nation's largest employers.
DOE (United States Department of Energy)
Though many of its security and intelligence functions have been passed to a subordinate office, the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), the Department of Energy (DOE) is still the principal guarantor of energy security in the United States. It has the task of maintaining the safety and reliability of the U.S.
Domestic Emergency Support Team, United States
Up to the time of its transfer to the newly created Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Domestic Emergency Support Team (DEST) was the smallest—or, at least, the most obscure—of the Justice Department offices dedicated to national security and intelligence. It was created under Presidential Decision Directive 39 (PDD 39), "U.S.
Domestic Intelligence
Domestic intelligence is a term for efforts by a government to obtain information about activities that pose an actual or putative threat to internal security. In authoritarian or totalitarian regimes, domestic intelligence-gathering by the government is a regular part of daily life, but in a liberal democratic system such as those of North America or Western European countries, it is more problematic.
Domestic Preparedness Office (NDPO), United States National
Formed in October 1998, the United States National Domestic Preparedness Office (NDPO) is the coordination center for all federal efforts in response to weapons of mass destruction (WMD). It works with a variety of federal agencies, and assists state and local emergency responders in preparing for the response to a WMD event.
Doo Transmitter
A Doo radio transmitter, officially known as a T-1151 radio transmitter, is a radio transmission device camouflaged as a pile of animal droppings or, in its most common form, a large single fecal dropping from an animal indigenous to the area of intended use. Regardless, the external form of the device was designed to discourage close examination and thus, detection or disruption.
Dosimetry
Dosimetry measures the amount of radiation energy absorbed over a given period of time by an object (e.g., human body) or by part of that object (e.g., an organ or tumor). Here, radiation refers not only to ionizing radiation of the sort emitted by radioactive materials—fast particles and gamma rays—but to light, radio waves, or ultrasound.
Double Agents
A double agent is person who conducts espionage for two, usually antagonistic, countries. Double agents allow intelligence services to gather information by infiltrating enemy organizations under cover.
Drop
"Drop" is intelligence parlance for the location at which an agent passes information to another, or the act of passing that information—as in "making a drop." In a live drop, the two individuals actually meet. Given the dangers of this, it is more common to employ a "dead drop." The latter term refers to a prearranged spot at which one party passes information to another without actually meeting.
Drug Control Policy, United States Office of National
The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, or ONDCP, is an independent office of the executive branch of the United States government, and reports directly to the president. Established by the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988, ONDCP is the principal architect of national drug control strategy.
Drug Intelligence Estimates
The National Drug Intelligence Estimate (NDIE), an annual publication of Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) from 1985 until 1994, identified trends in drug abuse and centers of drug trafficking. NDIE grew out of the realization that illegal drug production, use, and transit affects all countries and that effective international cooperation required an exchange of information.
Dual Use Technology
The phrase "dual use technology" refers to tools or techniques, developed originally for military or related purposes, which are commercially viable enough to support adaptation and production for industrial or consumer uses. Examples of dual use technology, for which the United States Department of Defense (DOD) has an entire dedicated program, include capabilities of the U.S.
E-2C
Built by Northrop Grumman and first used by the U.S. Navy in 1964, the E-2C Hawkeye has served as an airborne early warning and command and control aircraft in the Vietnam and Persian Gulf wars, as well as in the war on drugs.
Ebola Virus
The Ebola virus is one of two members of a family of viruses that is designated as the Filoviridae. The name of the virus comes from a river located in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where the virus was discovered.