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The National Intelligence Strategy of The United States of America 2014
The National Intelligence Strategy of The United States of America 2014
Intelligence
Strategy of the
United States
of America
2014
The National
Intelligence
Strategy of the
United States
of America
Foreword
Ive often said publicly that we are facing the most diverse set of threats Ive seen in my 50 years
in the intelligence business. Thats true. Its also true, however, that we are better organized to face
these threats than we were 13 years ago. We have strengthened and integrated our Intelligence
Community (IC) in the decade since 9/11, supported by the National Intelligence Strategy (NIS).
This, the third iteration of the NIS, is our guide forward for the next four years to better serve
the needs of our customers, to make informed decisions on national security issues, and ultimately,
to make our nation more secure. We face significant changes in the domestic and global
environment and must be ready to meet 21st century challenges and to recognize emerging
opportunities. This guidance is designed to propel our mission and align our objectives with national
strategies. The NIS provides an opportunity to communicate national priority objectives to our
workforce, partners, and customersfrom the policy maker, to the warfighter, to the first responder,
to our fellow citizens.
To navigate todays turbulent and complex strategic environment, we must: (1) Execute our mission
smartly and identify ways to better leverage the substantive work of our partners and potential
partners; (2) Continue to integrate, transform, and strengthen the ICs support to national security;
(3) Protect privacy and civil liberties and adhere to the Principles of Professional Ethics for the IC;
and (4) Adapt to changing needs and resources and innovate to provide unique anticipatory and
strategic intelligence.
We have seen a great deal of success in integrating intelligence in the five years since our
most recent NIS, with both high-profile operational achievements and significant enterprise
improvements. Together, we must build on our successes and mitigate risks, guided by this
updated strategy. We must continue to evolve as an integrated Community, advance our
capabilities in technology and tradecraft, and push for improvements in both mission and
enterprise management, through initiatives such as the IC Information Technology Enterprise.
We have crucial work before us. Senior policymakers depend on us to enable them to make wise
national security decisions and Americans count on us to help protect the nation from attack,
while increasing transparency and protecting their privacy and civil liberties. We must provide
the best intelligence possible to support these objectives; doing so is a collective responsibility
of all of our dedicated IC professionals and, together with our partners, we will realize our vision.
Thank you for your dedication to our mission and to the security of our fellow citizens as we
continue this journey together.
James R. Clapper
Director of National Intelligence
1
Purpose
In support of the National Security Strategy, which sets forth national security priorities, the National
Intelligence Strategy (NIS) provides the IC with the mission direction of the Director of National Intelligence
(DNI) for the next four to five years. IC activities must be consistent with, and responsive to, national
security priorities and must comply with the Constitution, applicable statutes, and Congressional
oversight requirements. The NIS should be read along with the National Intelligence Priorities
Framework and Unifying Intelligence Strategies to inform and guide mission, as well as planning,
programming, and budgeting activities.
Organizational Framework
The NIS has four main components, described as follows: (1) the Strategic Environment section
portrays the global national security milieu; (2) the Mission Objective section describes key mission
priorities and expected outcomes; (3) the Enterprise Objective section describes resource and
capability outcomes needed to enable mission success; and (4) the Implementing the Strategy
section provides broad organizational guidance to meet the NISs requirements.
Our success as a Community is measured as much by our defense of Americas values as it is by the
execution of our intelligence mission. What follows is a succinct depiction of the ICs Mission and
Vision, which serves as the foundation for the Mission and Enterprise Objectives. Fundamental to all
of these elements are the Principles of Professional Ethics for the IC.
IC Mission
Provide timely, insightful, objective, and relevant intelligence to
inform decisions on national security issues and events.
IC Vision
A nation made more secure by a fully integrated, agile, resilient, and
innovative Intelligence Community that exemplifies Americas values.
As members of the intelligence profession, we conduct ourselves in accordance with certain basic
principles. These principles are stated below, and reflect the standard of ethical conduct expected
of all Intelligence Community personnel, regardless of individual role or agency affiliation. Many
of these principles are also reflected in other documents that we look to for guidance, such as
statements of core values, and the Code of Conduct: Principles of Ethical Conduct for Government
Officers and Employees; it is nonetheless important for the Intelligence Community to set forth
in a single statement the fundamental ethical principles that unite us and distinguish us as
intelligence professionals.
MISSION. We serve the American people, and understand that our mission requires
selfless dedication to the security of our nation.
TRUTH. We seek the truth; speak truth to power; and obtain, analyze, and provide
intelligence objectively.
LAWFULNESS. We support and defend the Constitution, and comply with the laws of the
United States, ensuring that we carry out our mission in a manner that respects privacy,
civil liberties, and human rights obligations.
INTEGRITY. We demonstrate integrity in our conduct, mindful that all our actions, whether
public or not, should reflect positively on the Intelligence Community at large.
EXCELLENCE. We seek to improve our performance and our craft continuously, share
information responsibly, collaborate with our colleagues, and demonstrate innovation and
agility when meeting new challenges.
DIVERSITY. We embrace the diversity of our nation, promote diversity and inclusion in our
workforce, and encourage diversity in our thinking.
3
Strategic Environment
The United States faces a complex and governments, markets, and entire geographic
evolving security environment with extremely regions. The IC will increasingly serve
dangerous, pervasive, and elusive threats. homeland security as well as military and
The IC remains focused on the missions foreign policy objectives.
of cyber intelligence, counterterrorism,
counterproliferation, counterintelligence, and Domestic Environment. The IC faces fiscal
on the threats posed by state and non-state challenges as the U.S. Government operates
actors challenging U.S. national security and under tightened budgets. We must meet our
interests worldwide. mission needs in innovative ways and sustain
our core competencies with fewer resources.
Key nation states continue to pursue agendas Likewise, our customers and partners will also
that challenge U.S. interests. China has an grapple with resource challenges. While such
interest in a stable East Asia, but remains constraints will require the IC to accept and
opaque about its strategic intentions and is balance risks, addressing these challenges
of concern due to its military modernization. presents additional opportunities to enhance
Russia is likely to continue to reassert power partnerships, information sharing, and
and influence in ways that undermine U.S. outreach.
interests, but may be willing to work with
the United States on important high priority The U.S. will continue to face threats of
security issues, when interests converge. The unauthorized disclosures from insiders and
IC spotlight remains on North Koreas pursuit others that compromise intelligence sources,
of nuclear and ballistic missile capabilities and methods, capabilities, and activities, and may
its international intransigence. Irans nuclear impact international and domestic political
efforts remain a key concern, in addition to its dynamics. These disclosures can degrade our
missile programs, support for terrorism, regime ability to conduct intelligence missions and
dynamics, and other developing military damage our national security.
capabilities. The potential for greater instability
in the Middle East and North Africa will require Global Environment. Global power is
continued IC vigilance. Finally, continued becoming more diffuse. New alignments and
IC vigilance will be required to maintain informal networksoutside of traditional
global coverage of conflicts as they arise and power blocs and national governments
potentially threaten U.S. interests. will increasingly have significant impact in
economic, social, and political affairs. Resolving
Violent extremist groups and transnational complex security challenges will require the
criminal networks threaten U.S. security and ICs attention to a broader array of actors.
challenge the U.S. both in the homeland Private, public, governmental, commercial, and
and abroad. Al-Qaida, its affiliates, and ideological players will become increasingly
adherents, continue to plot against U.S. and influential, both regionally and virtually. The
Western interests, and seek to use weapons projected rise of a global middle class and its
of mass destruction if possible. The actions of growing expectations will fuel economic and
transnational criminal organizations have the political change. Some states and international
potential to corrupt and destabilize institutions will be challenged to govern or
operate effectively.
5
Introduction to Mission Objectives
The seven Mission Objectives broadly describe Three Mission Objectives refer to foundational
the priority outputs needed to deliver timely, intelligence missions the IC must accomplish,
insightful, objective, and relevant intelligence regardless of threat or topic:
to our customers. Intelligence includes foreign Strategic Intelligenceinform and
intelligence and counterintelligence. The enrich understanding of enduring national
Mission Objectives are designed to address the security issues;
totality of regional and functional issues facing
the IC; their prioritization is communicated Anticipatory Intelligencedetect,
to the IC through the National Intelligence identify, and warn of emerging issues
Priorities Framework. and discontinuities;
Current Operationssupport ongoing
actions and sensitive intelligence operations.
IC Customers
The President Four Mission Objectives identify the primary
National Security Council topical missions the IC must accomplish:
Heads of Departments and Agencies of Cyber Intelligenceprovide intelligence
the Executive Branch
on cyber threats;
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and
senior military commanders Counterterrorismunderstand and
Congress counter those involved in terrorism
Others as the DNI determines and related activities;
appropriate
Counterproliferationcounter the
Source: National Security Act of 1947, as amended
threat and proliferation of weapons
of mass destruction;
Counterintelligencethwart efforts
of foreign intelligence entities.
7
3 Current Operations: Provide
timely intelligence support to achieve
operational and national security goals.
4 Cyber Intelligence: Detect
and understand cyber threats to inform
and enable national security decision making,
cybersecurity, and cyber effects operations.
Intelligence support to current operations,
whether collection, analysis, counterintelligence, Cyber intelligence is the collection, processing,
or intelligence operations, occurs in almost all analysis, and dissemination of information
IC organizations and cuts across almost every from all sources of intelligence on foreign
topic addressed by the IC. Intelligence support actors cyber programs, intentions, capabilities,
to current operations is characterized by the research and development, tactics, and
immediacy of the support provided. In addition operational activities and indicators; their
to being responsive, this support also shapes impact or potential effects on national security,
future operations and investigations. information systems, infrastructure, and data;
and network characterization, or insight into the
The IC will adapt to evolving operational components, structures, use, and vulnerabilities
requirements, maintain the robust support of foreign information systems.
customers expect, and further enhance
capabilities. As the IC facilitates whole-of- State and non-state actors use digital
government efforts to take action against technologies to achieve economic and military
terrorists and transnational organized crime, advantage, foment instability, increase control
address cyber threats, and respond to over content in cyberspace, and achieve other
emerging crisesfrom geo-political to strategic goalsoften faster than our ability to
humanitarianit will also need to support understand the security implications and
policy imperatives such as the rebalance to the mitigate potential risks. To advance national
Asia-Pacific region and transition of the allied objectives, customers increasingly rely upon
mission in Afghanistan. Faced with a wide the IC to provide timely, actionable intelligence
spectrum of operations in support of military, and deeper insights into current and potential
diplomatic, and homeland security activities, cyber threats and intentions. The IC also
the IC will prioritize its efforts and mitigate risk, provides needed expertise to defend U.S.
operate in denied areas, balance forward Government networks along with other critical
presence with robust reach-back, and provide communications networks and national
operational resiliency to more fully integrate infrastructure. To be more effective, the IC will
intelligence with operations. evolve its cyber capabilities, including our
ability to attribute attacks. The IC will focus on
To meet this objective, the IC will: identifying trends and providing the context to
Provide actionable, timely, and agile improve our customers understanding of
intelligence support to achieve and threats, vulnerabilities, and impact.
maintain operational decision advantage;
To meet this objective, the IC will:
Integrate and collaborate with diverse
partners to maximize the effectiveness and Increase our awareness and understanding
reach of intelligence capabilities in support of key foreign cyber threat actors
of operations; including their intentions, capabilities,
and operationsto meet the growing
Conduct sensitive intelligence operations number and complexity of cyber-related
to support effective national security requirements;
action.
Expand tailored production and
dissemination of actionable cyber
5
weapons of mass destruction (WMD) are
Counterterrorism: Identify,
increasing. The IC will support objectives
understand, monitor, and disrupt state
for countering the threat and proliferation
and non-state actors engaged in terrorism-
of WMD and their means of delivery as well
related activities that may harm the United
as WMD-related materials, technology, and
States, its people, interests, and allies.
expertise. The IC will work with partners inside
and outside the U.S. Government to better
The dynamic and diverse nature of the
understand, detect, and warn on foreign WMD
terrorist threat will continue to challenge
capabilities, plans, and intentions; thwart WMD
the U.S. and our interests and will require
acquisition and employment; and inform U.S.
continued emphasis on targeting, collection,
policies and initiatives.
and analysis. The IC supports the national
whole-of-government effort to protect the
To meet this objective, the IC will:
homeland from terrorist attack, disrupt and
degrade terrorists who threaten U.S. interests Develop capabilities and inform U.S.
abroad, counter the spread of violent extremist policies and efforts to dissuade or prevent
ideology that influences terrorist action, disrupt states from acquiring WMD-related
illicit financial and other support networks, and technologies, materials, or expertise or
build counterterrorism capacity at home and from reconstituting former programs;
overseas. Our government and our partners Advance our understanding of
must anticipate, detect, deny, and disrupt established state WMD programs to
terrorism wherever and however it manifests inform U.S. counterproliferation decisions,
against U.S. interests. The IC will continue policies, and efforts to disrupt, roll back,
to monitor this threat to protect our nation, and deter use;
provide warning and assess the strategic
Support interagency efforts to secure
factors that may enable future terror plots.
global stockpiles of weapons of mass
destruction and warn of and prevent
To meet this objective, the IC will:
the transfer of WMD-related materials,
Conduct innovative analysis that supports technology, and expertise to terrorists,
disruption of terrorist actors posing threats extremists, or other non-state actors;
to the U.S. and our interests;
Improve U.S. capabilities to anticipate
Provide insight to mitigate the spread of and manage crises and support integrated
violent extremist ideology; U.S. Government responses to mitigate
Anticipate new and developing terrorist the consequences of WMD use or loss of
threats and explore opportunities to state control.
counter them;
Bolster resiliency and build adaptive
capability to counter terrorism at home
and abroad.
9
7 Counterintelligence:
Identify, understand, and mitigate
the efforts of foreign intelligence entities
to gain economic, diplomatic, military, or
technological advantage.
Accomplishing the seven NIS Mission Four Enterprise Objectives describe our
Objectives depends on achieving six Enterprise strategy to build a solid foundation of key
Objectives, which describe the resources and capabilities and capacity:
capabilities that are essential to fulfilling the Information Sharing and Safeguarding
Mission Objectives. improve collaboration while protecting
information;
Two Enterprise Objectives focus on enterprise
integration while optimizing resource Innovationimprove research and
management and decision making: development, tradecraft, and processes;
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1 Integrated Mission
Management: Optimize collection,
analysis, and counterintelligence capabilities
for action, and understand tradeoffs for
implementing solutions;
Strengthen and integrate governance bodies
and activities across the IC to achieve unity of to optimize resources and manage risk;
effort and effect.
Foster joint IC planning, targeting, tasking,
and assessment processes to coordinate
Integrated mission management is the intelligence activities and promote
strategic prioritization, coordination, and continuous improvement;
deconfliction of intelligence activities to align
the interdependent disciplines of collection, Drive integrated investment decisions and
analysis, and counterintelligence. the delivery of multi-disciplinary, integrated
Collection activities are responsive to and capabilities to provide optimal solutions for
inform analytic requirements. mission success.
Analytic activities produce intelligence
judgments, identify intelligence gaps, and
provide the basis for guidance to collectors.
Counterintelligence activities complement
collection and analytic activities and identify
2 Integrated Enterprise
Management: Develop,
implement, and manage IC-oriented
vulnerabilities of intelligence sources, approaches to improve integration and
methods, and activities. interoperability of IC enabling capabilities.
3 Information Sharing
and Safeguarding: Enhance,
integrate, and leverage IC capabilities to
and actionable information;
Integrate enterprise-wide information, as
appropriate, to enhance discovery, improve
improve collaboration and the discovery, correlation, and enable advanced analytics
access, retrieval, retention, and safeguarding consistent with protection of privacy and
of information. civil liberties;
Strengthen and synchronize security and
The Intelligence Community Information data protection standards for new and
Technology Enterprise (IC ITE) transforms existing intelligence information systems
agency-centric information technology to a based on policy-driven interoperable
common enterprise platform where the IC can
approaches and attribute-based access
easily and securely share technology, information,
to provide a trusted and secure IC-wide
and capabilities across the Community.
information environment;
Promote a culture that embodies,
Mission success depends on the right people
supports, and furthers responsible
getting the right information at the right
information sharing respectful of privacy
time. Improving our information sharing
and civil liberties.
and safeguarding capabilities, as mutually
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4 Innovation: Find and deploy
new scientific discoveries and
technologies, nurture innovative thought,
5 Our People: Build a more agile,
diverse, inclusive, and expert workforce.
and improve tradecraft and processes to Inclusion describes a culture that connects each
achieve mission advantage. employee to the organization; encourages
collaboration, flexibility, and fairness; and
Innovation begins with a commitment to leverages diversity of thought throughout the
research and development as the seed for organization so all individuals can excel in their
contributions to the IC mission.
breakthroughs in science and technology. In
order for innovation to provide results, the
Workforce planning is a framework addressing
IC will further develop, support, and foster
the total workforce balance (civilian, military, and
intellectual curiosity and creative problem core contract personnel) to ensure the IC has the
solving. The IC must accept that initial failures right people with the right skills in the right place
may lead to successes and be willing to take at the right time to accomplish the mission in
calculated risks for high-value results when high-performing teams and organizations.
a rational basis for the risk is demonstrated.
The IC will leverage innovation wherever it is Diversity considers, in a broad context and in
found, incorporating scientific breakthroughs relation to the mission, all aspects that make
and cutting-edge technologies for mission individuals unique and America strong
excellence. The IC will extend innovation to our including race, color, ethnicity, national origin,
daily work by embracing new processes and gender, age, religion, language, disability, sexual
orientation, gender identity, and heritage.
automation to streamline the business aspects
of intelligence.
The IC workforce is united in protecting and
To meet this objective, the IC will: preserving national security, which could
Conduct and leverage basic research and not be accomplished without a talented
maintain core independent research in the workforce that embraces the ICs core values
most sensitive applied and social sciences, and Principles of Professional Ethics for the IC.
technologies, and mathematics arenas to To this end, the IC will continue to attract,
achieve breakthrough results; develop, engage, and retain a workforce that
possesses both the capabilities necessary to
Transition creative ideas and promising address current and evolving threats and a
innovations to improve intelligence strong sense of integrity. Even with constrained
services and processes across the IC; budgets, the IC will make long-term strategic
Strengthen and unleash the innovative investments in the workforce to promote agility
talents of the workforce to accept risk, and mobility throughout employees careers.
improve tradecraft, and embrace new Special emphasis is needed to recruit, retain,
technologies and processes. develop, and motivate employees with skills
fundamental to the success of the intelligence
mission, including foreign language, science,
technology, engineering, and mathematics.
15
Implementing the Strategy
The IC is an integrated intelligence enterprise Set Strategic Priorities for the IC. The NIS,
working toward the common vision of a in concert with the National Security Strategy
more secure nation. The NIS provides the and the National Intelligence Priorities
overarching framework to accomplish the Framework, represents the ICs mission priorities.
mission and achieve the vision. The IC will The DNI informs Congress of significant priority
implement the NIS consistent with its statutory realignment and activities.
authorities under Congressional oversight.
Align the National Intelligence Program.
The DNI and IC elements work together in The NIS serves as the DNIs mechanism to align
an integrated fashion to execute the NIS. the National Intelligence Program and guide
Functional managers monitor the health of the reporting of resource expenditures and
important intelligence capabilities. Mission performance to Congress. Additionally, the
managers examine all facets of collection, National Intelligence Program is coordinated
analysis, and counterintelligence against with the Military Intelligence Program and the
specific areas of concern across missions. DNIs joint annual planning and programming
Program managers scrutinize how funds guidance for the IC.
are executed. IC enterprise managers align
support functions to enable each mission. The IC Elements
IC elements recruit, train, equip, and conduct Align Strategies, Plans, and Actions. The
intelligence missions. Inspectors General, legal mission and enterprise objectives in the NIS shall
counsel, and privacy and civil liberties officers be incorporated and cascaded into IC element
ensure proper compliance and oversight. strategies and plans. IC elements and functional
managers will facilitate an integrated approach
The Office of the Director of National to these objectives to achieve the ICs mission.
Intelligence provides the IC with overarching
guidance and coordination. IC elements Inform Resource Allocation. The NIS will
execute their missions consistent with inform decisions about programs, budgets,
their statutory authorities. Finally, it is the policies, and acquisitions to develop and sustain
responsibility of all members of the IC capabilities. IC elements and program managers
workforce to understand how they contribute will reflect NIS objectives in their annual
to the IC mission and execute their specific role strategic program briefs and will articulate
to the best of their ability and consistent with their intentions to mitigate risks in their annual
the protection of privacy and civil liberties. planning and programming activities.
The NIS supports intelligence integration and the ICs mission to provide timely, insightful, objective,
and relevant intelligence to inform decisions on national security issues and events. The IC must fully
reflect the NIS in agency strategic plans, annual budget requests, and justifications for the National
Intelligence Program. The DNI will assess IC element proposals, projects, and programs against the
objectives of the NIS to realize the ICs vision of a nation made more secure by a fully integrated,
agile, resilient, and innovative Intelligence Community that exemplifies Americas values.
17
2014 National Intelligence Strategy
Roadmap
OUR CUSTOMERS
CUSTOMER
SUCCESS
CYBER INTELLIGENCE
COUNTERTERRORISM
COUNTERPROLIFERATION
COUNTERINTELLIGENCE
ENDURING
URING CURRENT EMER
EMERGING
INNOVATION
OUR PEOPLE
OUR PARTNERS
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Office of the Director of National Intelligence
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