Unit 8200
Encyclopedia
Unit 8200 is an Israeli Intelligence Corps
unit responsible for collecting signal intelligence and code decryption. It also appears in military publications as the Central Collection Unit of the Intelligence Corps.
to its current base at the Glilot junction.
, comprising several thousand soldiers. It is comparable in its function to the United States
' National Security Agency
, except that it is not a separate civilian (i.e. Ministry of Defense
) body. Unit 8200 is led by a Brigadier-General whose identity remains classified
.
Subordinate to Unit 8200 is Unit Hatzav , responsible for collecting OSINT
intelligence
. The unit monitors and collects military intelligence
-related information from television
, radio
, newspaper
s, and the internet
. The translation of various items accounts for part of what is termed "basic intelligence," which is collected by the corps' units. According to media reports, the unit provides over half of the overall intelligence information for the Israeli Intelligence Community
.
The IDF's most important signal intelligence-gathering installation is the Urim SIGINT Base
, a part of Unit 8200. Urim is located in the Negev desert approximately 30 km from Beersheba.”In March 2004, the Commission to investigate the intelligence network following the War in Iraq recommended turning the unit into a civilian National SIGINT Agency, as is in other Western countries, but this proposal was not implemented.
revealed in a 2009 book that a Hezbollah bomb, disguised as a cell phone, exploded at Unit 8200's headquarters in February 1999. Two officers were injured.
In 2010, the New York Times cited "a former member of the United States intelligence community" alleging that this unit used a secret kill switch to deactivate Syrian air defenses during Operation Orchard
.
Unit 8200 has been suspected of being the originator of the Stuxnet
computer worm that in 2010 infected industrial computers, including Iranian nuclear facilities.
, ICQ
, NICE
, AudioCodes
, Gilat
, and EZchip.
Israeli Intelligence Corps
The Israeli Intelligence Corps is an Israel Defense Forces corps which falls under the jurisdiction of IDF Directorate of Military Intelligence and is responsible for collecting, disseminating, and publishing intelligence information for the General Staff and the political branch...
unit responsible for collecting signal intelligence and code decryption. It also appears in military publications as the Central Collection Unit of the Intelligence Corps.
History
Unit 8200 was established in 1952 using primitive surplus American military equipment. Originally, it was called the 2nd Intelligence Service Unit and then the 515th Intelligence Service Unit. In 1954, the unit moved from JaffaJaffa
Jaffa is an ancient port city believed to be one of the oldest in the world. Jaffa was incorporated with Tel Aviv creating the city of Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel. Jaffa is famous for its association with the biblical story of the prophet Jonah.-Etymology:...
to its current base at the Glilot junction.
Structure
Unit 8200 is the largest unit in the Israel Defense ForcesIsrael Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
, comprising several thousand soldiers. It is comparable in its function to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
' National Security Agency
National Security Agency
The National Security Agency/Central Security Service is a cryptologic intelligence agency of the United States Department of Defense responsible for the collection and analysis of foreign communications and foreign signals intelligence, as well as protecting U.S...
, except that it is not a separate civilian (i.e. Ministry of Defense
Ministry of Defense (Israel)
The Ministry of Defence of the government of Israel, is the governmental department responsible for defending the State of Israel from internal and external military threats...
) body. Unit 8200 is led by a Brigadier-General whose identity remains classified
Classified information
Classified information is sensitive information to which access is restricted by law or regulation to particular groups of persons. A formal security clearance is required to handle classified documents or access classified data. The clearance process requires a satisfactory background investigation...
.
Subordinate to Unit 8200 is Unit Hatzav , responsible for collecting OSINT
Open source intelligence
Open-source intelligence is a form of intelligence collection management that involves finding, selecting, and acquiring information from publicly available sources and analyzing it to produce actionable intelligence...
intelligence
Intelligence (information gathering)
Intelligence assessment is the development of forecasts of behaviour or recommended courses of action to the leadership of an organization, based on a wide range of available information sources both overt and covert. Assessments are developed in response to requirements declared by the leadership...
. The unit monitors and collects military intelligence
Military intelligence
Military intelligence is a military discipline that exploits a number of information collection and analysis approaches to provide guidance and direction to commanders in support of their decisions....
-related information from television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
, radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
, newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
s, and the internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
. The translation of various items accounts for part of what is termed "basic intelligence," which is collected by the corps' units. According to media reports, the unit provides over half of the overall intelligence information for the Israeli Intelligence Community
Israeli Intelligence Community
The Israeli Intelligence Community is the designation given to the complex of organizations responsible for intelligence collection, dissemination, and research for the State of Israel...
.
The IDF's most important signal intelligence-gathering installation is the Urim SIGINT Base
Urim SIGINT Base
Urim SIGINT Base is an Israeli intelligence-gathering installation, part of the Unit 8200. Urim is located in the Negev desert approximately 30km from Beersheba, a couple of kilometres north of the kibbutz of Urim...
, a part of Unit 8200. Urim is located in the Negev desert approximately 30 km from Beersheba.”In March 2004, the Commission to investigate the intelligence network following the War in Iraq recommended turning the unit into a civilian National SIGINT Agency, as is in other Western countries, but this proposal was not implemented.
Alleged activities
Ronen BergmanRonen Bergman
Ronen Bergman is an Israeli investigative journalist and author. He is Currently a senior political and military analyst for Yedioth Ahronoth, Israel’s largest-circulation daily.Mr...
revealed in a 2009 book that a Hezbollah bomb, disguised as a cell phone, exploded at Unit 8200's headquarters in February 1999. Two officers were injured.
In 2010, the New York Times cited "a former member of the United States intelligence community" alleging that this unit used a secret kill switch to deactivate Syrian air defenses during Operation Orchard
Operation Orchard
Operation Orchard was an Israeli airstrike on a nuclear reactor in the Deir ez-Zor region of Syria carried out just after midnight on September 6, 2007. The White House and Central Intelligence Agency later confirmed that American intelligence had also indicated the site was a nuclear facility...
.
Unit 8200 has been suspected of being the originator of the Stuxnet
Stuxnet
Stuxnet is a computer worm discovered in June 2010. It initially spreads via Microsoft Windows, and targets Siemens industrial software and equipment...
computer worm that in 2010 infected industrial computers, including Iranian nuclear facilities.
Alumni
Alumni of 8200 have gone on to found leading Israeli high-tech companies, among them Check PointCheck Point
Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. is a global provider of IT security solutions. Best known for its firewall and VPN products, Check Point first pioneered the industry with FireWall-1 and its patented stateful inspection technology...
, ICQ
ICQ
ICQ is an instant messaging computer program, which was first developed and popularized by the Israeli company Mirabilis, then bought by America Online, and since April 2010 owned by Mail.ru Group. The name ICQ is a homophone for the phrase "I seek you"...
, NICE
NICE Systems
NICE Systems Ltd. , together with its subsidiaries, provides solutions that enable enterprises and security organizations to extract insight from interactions, transactions and surveillance....
, AudioCodes
AudioCodes
AudioCodes Ltd. designs, develops, and sells products for voice, data, and video over IP networks. The company is an early pioneer of the VoIP industry having shipped VoIP solutions as early as 1995.-Company history:...
, Gilat
Gilat Satellite Networks
Gilat Satellite Networks is a public company headquartered in Israel that develops and sells VSAT satellite ground stations and related equipment...
, and EZchip.
External links
- Enter Unit 8200: Israel arms for cyberwar, UPI, 11 May 2011