espionage

Also known as spying, spycraft, intelligence gathering

thumb|Madame Minna Craucher (right), a Finnish [[socialite and spy, with her chauffeur Boris Wolkowski (left) in 1930s]]

AI overview

Espionage is the act of secretly gathering information for a government or organization, often by placing spies in enemy territory or among rival groups. It matters because nations and organizations use it to gain strategic advantages, understand threats, and make informed decisions about security and foreign policy.

AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.

Wikidata facts

Show 2 more facts

described at URL: wikispooks.com/wiki/Espionage
Commons category: Espionage

Sources (6)

via Wikidata · CC0

~44 min read

Article

35 sections

Contents

History
Ancient history
Post-classical history
Europe
Renaissance
Modern history
United States
20th century
World War I
World War II
Cold War
Post-Cold War
21st century
Targets of espionage
Methods and terminology
How the United States defines espionage
Technology and techniques
Organization
Industrial espionage
Types of agent
Private espionage
Law
Espionage law in the United States
Use against non-spies
Espionage law in the UK
Government intelligence law and its distinction from espionage
Military intelligence and military justice
Spy fiction
See also
References
Citations
Works cited
Sources
Further reading
External links

thumb|Madame Minna Craucher (right), a Finnish [[socialite and spy, with her chauffeur Boris Wolkowski (left) in 1930s]]

Espionage, spying, or intelligence gathering, as a subfield of the intelligence field, is the act of obtaining secret, confidential, or in some way valuable information. Such information is also referred to as intelligence. A professional trained in conducting intelligence operations by their government may be employed as an intelligence officer. Espionage may be conducted in a foreign country, domestically or remotely. The practice is clandestine, as it is by definition unwelcome. In some circumstances, it may be a legal tool of law enforcement and in others, it may be illegal and punishable by law.