Home Spy Words, Terms and Codes

Here is a reference resource for all those spy codes and covert talk.

0-9 | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | PQ | R | S | T | UV | W | XYZ

• PARALLEL-LINE/INCIDENTAL-CAPACITANCE – a method of telephone, telex, and communications eavesdropping that is virtually undetectable.
• PAROLES - passwords to identify agents to each other.
• PATTERN - the behavior and daily routine of an operative that makes his or her identity unique.
• PAVEMENT ARTIST – outdoor surveillance specialist operating on foot.
• PEEP – photographer.
• PERIMETER SURVEILLANCE – is used to alert the surveillance team when the target enters or leaves a specific area.
• PETN – Pentaery-thritol tetranitrate, a plastic explosive favored by intelligence agencies and security services. See mercury fulminate.
• PFLP – an underground group in Palestine.
• PHOTINT – acronym for photo intelligence.
• PIG - Russian intelligence term for traitor.
• PICKET SURVEILLANCE – focuses on times and places when target is likely engaged in activities of interest to the surveillance team. Also called chokepoint surveillance. Named after the openings in a picket fence.
• PICKUP – when the target of a surveillance operation is first spotted inside the stakeout box.
• PINHOLE CAMERA – video camera with fiber-optic lens attachment.
• PLAINTEXT -: the original message before encryption.
• PLAYBACK - to provide false information to the enemy while gaining accurate information from him or her.
• POCKET LITTER - items in a spy's pocket (receipts, coins, theater tickets, etc.) that add authenticity to his or her identity.
• POSSE COMITATAS – a Latin phrase that loosely means power of the people.
• PROBLEM-SOLVING MATRIX – a grid-based notation system used by police investigators and counterespionage officers when dealing with complex cases.
• PRODUCT – finished intelligence that has been evaluated by an intelligence agency and is ready for distribution to consumers. Also see CONSUMER.
• PROFESSIONAL-NAME – nom de guerre of a spy.
• PROFILE STOP – a random stop and search by police, based on a suspect's race, minority status, economic status, religion, physical appearance, travel status, location, etc. Previously inflicted on minorities and poor whites, but currently being expanded by bureaucrats to include all US citizens.
• PROFILING - Stereotyping a group or "type" of person to assess potential dangers, suspects
• PROVOCATEUR -  an operative sent to incite a target group to action for purposes of entrapping or embarrassing them.
• PSB – one of China's secret police agencies.
• PSIA – one of Japan's security services.
• PSYCHIC COMBAT – a condition of active psychological warfare operations between two covert adversaries.
• PSYCHODYNAMICS – the CIA's psychological profiling system, used in combination with psychobiographic analysis.
• QUANG BO – Vietnam's military intelligence agency.
• QODS – One of Iran's security services.
• QRF – quick reaction force.

Back To Top