Counter-Espionage

The Security Service works to prevent the loss, through espionage, of sensitive information that would result in damage to UK national security and economic well-being.

To that end, we seek to discover those trying to pass sensitive UK information and equipment to other countries and to ensure they do not succeed. In parallel, we investigate and disrupt the activities of foreign intelligence officers where these are judged to be damaging or potentially damaging.

The method of disruption will vary. Often, it entails alerting a person to a foreign intelligence service's interest in recruiting him or her, with advice on how to avoid or deal with an approach, should it occur.

More broadly, we seek to make life more difficult for foreign intelligence services to operate by advising companies and organisations possessing sought-after information and equipment on how to protect their assets.

Occasionally, if a foreign intelligence officer's activities are particularly intrusive or threaten real damage to UK interests, he/she may be required by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office to leave the UK. In the case of some nationalities where visa requirements are in force, the Service is able to recommend to the Secretary of State that he should refuse, on national security grounds, the granting of a visa to a known intelligence officer.