what is counter intelligence

Counterintelligence refers to any activity aimed at protecting an agencys intelligence program from an opposition's intelligence service. It involves information gathering and activities conducted to protect against espionage, other intelligence activities, sabotage, or assassinations conducted by or on behalf of foreign governments or elements thereof, foreign organizations, or foreign persons, or international terrorist activities. The FBI is the lead agency for exposing, preventing, and investigating intelligence activities in the U.S. . The goals of the FBI's counterintelligence work are to protect the secrets of the U.S. Intelligence Community, protect the nation's critical assets, counter the activities of foreign spies, and keep weapons of mass destruction from falling into the wrong hands. Counterintelligence agents collect, protect, and report information related to foreign intelligence entities' capabilities and intentions, and conduct interviews and investigations to identify and neutralize threats to national security.