Covert Communication Devices Flashcards
7 cards from real CFA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Covert Communication Devices flashcards as text
What is the primary purpose of a 'numbers station' in the context of covert field agent communications?
Answer: Transmitting one-way encrypted messages to agents using shortwave radio
Numbers stations broadcast streams of spoken or Morse-coded numbers over shortwave radio to deliver pre-encrypted one-way messages to field agents anonymously.
Which physical security measure is MOST effective at preventing a covert communication device from being exploited if lost?
Answer: Full-disk encryption with a complex passphrase
Full-disk encryption ensures that even if a device is physically obtained by an adversary, the stored data remains inaccessible without the correct passphrase.
When using a brush pass to exchange a covert communication device, what is the CRITICAL tradecraft requirement?
Answer: The exchange must appear natural and take only a fraction of a second
A brush pass succeeds only if it is indistinguishable from a chance encounter; any hesitation or obvious interaction draws surveillance attention.
A laser microphone can be used by a hostile actor to monitor conversations inside a room by targeting what?
Answer: Vibrations on a window caused by sound inside the room
A laser microphone bounces a beam off a window; sound vibrations in the room cause imperceptible movement in the glass, which the reflected beam translates back into audio.
What is the 'duress code' function in covert communications?
Answer: A prearranged signal embedded in a communication to indicate the agent is under coercion
A duress code allows a compromised agent to alert their handler during what appears to be a normal communication, without tipping off a hostile observer.
In covert communications protocol, what is a 'cutout'?
Answer: An intermediary who relays communications between parties who have no direct contact
A cutout is a person or mechanism that insulates two parties from knowing each other's identities, limiting damage if one side is compromised.
Why is it operationally dangerous to use the same cover story for multiple separate covert communications contacts?
Answer: Adversary analysis can correlate the repeated legend across incidents to identify the agent
Repeated use of the same cover story creates a behavioral pattern that intelligence analysis can link across multiple interactions, unmasking the agent's activities.