BUZZ WORDS

THE LANGUAGE of espionage comes from several different directions: the mainline services like the CIA, FBI, National Security Agency; security marketing; the military. Some terms are not universal. Here is a start:

PEPPERCORN-a miniature mike, long on concealment but short-lived.

PINHOLE-An extremely wide-angle lens that lets you scan a room through a miniscule hole.

SYSTEM INTEGRITY-No gaps.

SWEEP – Check system integrity.

HOT- The system is armed.

MOLE – In industrial use, anyone operating under false pretenses in a company. A KGB word.

WIREMAN – The one who plants the bugs. An NSA word.

EARS-Bugs. A CB word.

EYES-Night-vision devices.

C3 – Counter countermeasures.

HARDWIRE – A wire that leads directly to the source. More primitive and harder to install than peppercorns, the hardwire has the advantage of longevity and reliability. It’s also harder to detect.

TONE SCAN – Sweep your phone lines for tone-activated bugs.

SPOOK – A spy, counterspy, security specialist or anyone who hangs around with them. More a state of mind than a job description.

RABBIT – A party under surveillance.

COUNTERSURVEIL- Hide.

BLOW – Discover.

E-AND-E, ESCAPE AND EVADE – Run.

NEUTRALIZE – Kill.