Counterintelligence at Its Core: Assessing and Preventing Foreign Espionage Hardcover – May 20, 2025

“For practitioners and scholars, the principles in this book offer valuable guidance towards codifying CI activities, bookmarking the discipline’s analytical foundations and its consequent human and environmental impacts for generations to come.... [Riehle] delivers a penetrating insight into the deadly serious games of the competitive playground of division and conquest.” ―Issiah B. Burckhardt, Journal of Policing, Intelligence and Counter Terrorism“At a time when policymakers are questioning the structure, efficiency, and overall coordination within the U.S. counterintelligence enterprise, and current or aspiring counterintelligence analysts struggle to understand how their role fits into broader national security objectives, Riehle’s book provides clarity.” ―Daniel P. Altman, International Journal of Intelligence and CounterIntelligence“A valuable book for anyone involved in counterintelligence and for outsiders who want an introduction to a wide world few people―inside or out―will ever see.... Essential.” ―Choice "An essential guide to counterintelligence, blending theory with case studies to fill a crucial gap in the intelligence literature. Both insightful and accessible, this book offers a rare, practitioner-driven perspective for anyone keen to explore the intricacies of CI." ―Giangiuseppe Pili, James Madison University What is the core purpose of counterintelligence? What does it involve? To answer these questions, Kevin Riehle explains in detail how counterintelligence analysis supports the mission of thwarting adversaries―how a foreign entity's intelligence cycle can be exploited, disrupted, or manipulated―in order to gain decision advantage. Case studies of operations involving the Soviet Union and Russia also illustrate how counterintelligence-derived information can support broader US national security decisionmaking.CONTENTS: Defining Counterintelligence.APPROACHES TO COUNTERINTELLIGENCE.Four Types of Analysis.Threat Assessment Analysis.Supporting Investigations, Operations, and Collection.Cyber and Counterintelligence.Strategic Counterintelligence AnalysisAPPLYING STRATEGIC COUNTERINTELLIGENCE ANALYSIS.Anticipating the Next War.The Early Cold War.The Ukraine War.CONCLUSION.Challenges and Priorities. Read more