New US counterintelligence strategy targets foreign spies

On August 2, the United States National Counterintelligence and Security Center (NCSC) released a short but highly significant report entitled “National Counterintelligence Strategy 2024,” which outlines a new approach to combating the growing threat posed by foreign intelligence services.

The NCSC is part of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI). In a statement released to coincide with the report's release, NCSC Director Michael Casey said the strategy aims to advance action, integration, and resources within the counterintelligence community to secure U.S. strategic advantages and outmaneuver foreign intelligence and increasingly complex threats.

Combating threats in the grey zone

The 24-page report raises alarm that spies from Russia, China, North Korea and other foreign governmental and non-governmental groups are seeking to “inflict serious harm on the United States, its people, and its institutions.”

It also becomes clear that “the People's Republic of China (PRC) and Russia pose the greatest threat to intelligence.” In addition, Russia, China, Iran and North Korea are increasingly coordinating their efforts to weaken the West.

The report states: “Our leading adversaries already face intense, multi-faceted competition with the United States. As a result, their intelligence agencies often conduct more aggressive operations that fall into the 'gray zone,' an area between war and peace that includes intelligence activities that exceed the boundaries of accepted norms, such as covert influence operations, political subversion, and operations in cyberspace.”

Political interference

One way to do this is to interfere in elections. Foreign policy The magazine recently reported that both Russia and Iran have stepped up their disinformation efforts to influence the 2024 U.S. presidential election. In Russia's case, the country's goal is twofold: to support its preferred candidate and to disrupt U.S. society as much as possible.

And China has a long history of interfering in elections in democracies. In February, the ODNI released a public threat assessment stating that “Beijing is expanding its global covert influence efforts to [Chinese Communist Party’s] Goals.

Making the challenge even more difficult is the development of readily available, sophisticated technologies. The report warns: “Adversaries are leveraging cutting-edge technology – such as advanced cyber tools, biometric devices, unmanned systems, high-resolution imagery, enhanced technical surveillance devices, commercial spyware, and artificial intelligence (AI) – to advance their espionage, counterintelligence, and influence missions.”

Proactive preventive measures

The 2024 Counterintelligence Strategy represents a decisive shift in focus. In the past, U.S. counterintelligence efforts have been primarily defensive in nature. For the first time, however, the strategy calls for a proactive “strategic counterintelligence program” to disrupt or compromise foreign espionage and disinformation efforts before they can be implemented.

The strategy is based on three main pillars.

First, outmaneuver and constrain foreign intelligence agencies. This is done by identifying, understanding, and anticipating foreign intelligence threats and countering foreign intelligence cyber activities.

Second, preserve U.S. strategic advantages by protecting individuals from foreign attacks and intelligence collection. This will protect critical U.S. technologies and economic security and reduce risks to critical U.S. supply chains.

Third, invest in the future to build counterintelligence capabilities, resilience and partnerships.

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Author: John Carroll

John Carroll is a Kyoto-based freelance writer and JAPAN Next Contributor. He is currently writing a book about the religious traditions and superstitions of Japan's ancient capital.