Tradecraft is skill acquired through experience in a (typically clandestine) trade. Within the intelligence community this means the techniques used in modern espionage and generally, the activity of intelligence. This includes general topics or techniques (dead drops, for example), or the specific techniques of a nation or organization (the particular form of encryption used by the NSA, for example).
The term tradecraft in this sense is frequently used in the books of John le Carré and Tom Clancy, where characters frequently comment on others' tradecraft (including those of agents from the opposing side).
The term was also used in the popular Oscar nominated drama film Zero Dark Thirty, in which Osama Bin Laden's hiding was described as "some real tradecraft".
Intelligence technology and techniques[]
- Agent handling
- Analytic tradecraft
- Black bag operations
- Concealment device
- Cryptography
- Cut-out
- Dead drop
- Eavesdropping
- False flag operations
- Front organization
- Honey trap
- Internet police
- Interrogation
- Legends
- One-time pad
- One-way voice link
- Steganography
- Surveillance
- TEMPEST — Protection devices for communication equipment
- Wetwork
See also[]
- Clandestine HUMINT operational techniques
- Moscow Rules
- United States Geospatial Intelligence Foundation
External links[]
The original article can be found at Tradecraft and the edit history here.