Sound judgement - Decisions you make can have serious repercussions, and the ability to make sound judgements based on evidence is vital.Exceptional analytical capabilities - Central to the intelligence officer role is the ability to piece together disparate pieces of data to allow you to see the hidden meanings and bigger picture that was previously obscured.Sharp intellect - You will need to be able to spot patterns and risks others would normally overlook.Excellence in achievement - You need to be among the best and brightest the country has produced to serve as an intelligence officer.Honesty and integrity - Your role is based on trust, and while you are operating in the shadows, you are bound to incredibly strict rules and regulations.The skills and requirements for being a spy may be very stringent, but you can still definitely become a spy if you try hard. They work in the digital environment to help disrupt terror threats, build defensive cyber capabilities, hamper serious and organised crime, and to support the defence community by providing the UK with a strategic advantage. Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) - Based in Cheltenham, GCHQ is among the leading intelligence, cyber and security agencies worldwide.They are made up of a mixture of military and civilian staff, and their primary duty is to protect the UK by providing military intelligence to help inform decisions by the Government and MoD. Defence Intelligence (DI) - Unlike other intelligence services in the UK, Defence Intelligence is a direct part of the Ministry of Defence (MoD).

Their focus is on counter-terrorism, disrupting the activites of hostile states, and protecting the UK from cyber attacks from abroad. They work internationally in order to gather intelligence from people and organisations. Military Intelligence, Section 6 (MI6) - Known as the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), MI6 works to protect the UK, its people, economy and interests from overseas threats.They are also expected to protect parliamentary democracy in the UK. Their role is to protect the country from internal terrorism, espionage, sabotage, and the activities foreign agents, including cyber threats. Military Intelligence, Section 5 (MI5) - MI5, also known as the Security Service, is the domestic counterintelligence and security agency for the UK.They are the UK point of contact for international law enforcement agencies, including Interpol. Their work also focuses on examining how criminals operate, and how their operations can be disrupted. They cover human, weapon and drug trafficking cyber crime and crime that crosses regional and international borders. National Crime Agency (NCA) - Established in 2013, the NCA is the lead UK intelligence service in the fight against organised crime.In the UK, the largest intelligence services are: It most commonly is used to refer to intelligence officers, whose job it is to acquire, assess and recommend action based on secret intelligence in order to safeguard national security. A spy is an umbrella term that refers to a variety of roles among those serving in a nation’s intelligence services.

Become spy agent