Counter-espionage and counter-proliferation
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Why espionage and proliferation?
Success or failure in professional and private life often depend on being accurately informed in good time. Such an information advantage is crucial to states as well. Collecting freely available information, for instance, is among the important legitimate tasks fulfilled by the diplomats of foreign... Further information
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Who engages in espionage?
There are various foreign intelligence services engaging in espionage activities in Germany, and they sometimes use clandestine methods. Their activities differ in intensity and in the objectives pursued.
BfV's counter-intelligence focuses on the intelligence and secret services of the Russian... Further information -
What objectives do foreign intelligence services pursue?
Intelligence services act on behalf of and under the control of their respective governments. The objectives pursued by an intelligence service will thus depend on the government's political priorities.
While the services strive to obtain information relating to various fields, a major focus of... Further information -
How do foreign intelligence services operate?
Collecting information through legal residenciesMany countries have diplomatic and consular representations in Germany, some of which house so-called legal residencies. The term refers to bases used by foreign intelligence services in their host countries under the cover of one of their own... Further information
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What does BfV do?
In order to counter espionage and proliferation, BfV gathers and analyses information on intelligence activities posing a threat to national security. Such illegal activities undertaken by foreign intelligence services are a massive assault on Germany's security interests. A close co-operation with... Further information
