Counterintelligence Operations Flashcards
6 cards from real FBI practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Counterintelligence Operations flashcards as text
What is the purpose of a 'polygraph examination' in FBI counterintelligence?
Answer: To detect deception by measuring physiological responses during questioning about security-relevant topics
Polygraphs measure physiological responses (heart rate, respiration, skin conductance) to detect potential deception during national security interviews.
What does 'MICE' stand for as a framework for understanding spy motivations?
Answer: Money, Ideology, Coercion, Ego
MICE is a counterintelligence framework identifying the four primary motivations that lead individuals to betray their country or employer.
What is a 'dead drop' in intelligence operations?
Answer: A clandestine method of exchanging items or information between an intelligence officer and an agent without meeting directly
A dead drop is a prearranged location where an intelligence officer and asset exchange materials without being seen together, reducing exposure risk.
What is 'compartmentation' as applied in U.S. intelligence security?
Answer: Restricting access to sensitive information to only those with a need-to-know
Compartmentation limits exposure of classified information by restricting access on a strict need-to-know basis, minimizing damage from insider threats or breaches.
What foreign intelligence threat does the FBI's 'China Initiative' (now the China Strategy) address?
Answer: Chinese government-sponsored espionage, intellectual property theft, and economic coercion targeting U.S. research and industry
The FBI's China strategy addresses systematic Chinese government theft of U.S. technology, research, and trade secrets across academia, government, and industry.
What is 'anomaly-based detection' in FBI insider threat programs?
Answer: Identifying potential insider threats by detecting unusual behavior patterns that deviate from an individual's baseline
Anomaly-based detection uses behavioral baselines to flag unusual activity—such as accessing files outside one's normal work scope—as potential insider threat indicators.