BND Codewords and Abbreviations

(Updated: 07-12-2023)

Below are listings of some 200 codewords and nicknames, as well as acronyms and abbreviations related to signals intelligence collection by the German foreign intelligence service Bundesnachrichtendienst (BND) and the German armed forces (Bundeswehr) from both past and present.




As some acronyms used by BND look like codewords, make sure you check both listings.

Similar lists are available on this website for NSA, GCHQ and CSE. See also the lists of abbreviations of SIGINT and COMSEC, and general telephony and internet terms.

Please keep in mind that a listing like this will always be work in progress.



The new BND headquarters building in Berlin
(photo: DAPD/TAZ.de)

 

Codewords and Nicknames

A
ADLER - Cover name for the Nazi war criminal Klaus Barbie (1913-1991) when acting as an informant for the BND in 1966-1967.
ADLERHORST - Covername for a BND site in Düsseldorf *
ADVOOKAT - Important SIGINT system, which operated from the listening post in Simonstown in South Africa (operational since 1975) *
AIDA - Proposed program to create more focussed database searches through improved algorithms; part of the SIT program *
ALLIANCE - Proposed 9 million euro project to establish a joint center with another European intelligence agency *
ALPENBLICK - Covername for a BND site in Hannover *
ALPINA - Communications station near Tutzing for transmitting messages to clandestine agents and foreign residences (1980s) *
ANIS - Covername for Switzerland (1982)
ANIS M, T, S, L - Covername for the Swiss intelligence and security services.
ASTER - Covername for the United Kingdom (1982)
ATHENA - Cryptonym for Kjell-Ove "Henry" Widman, who was a "scientific advisor" at Crypto AG *
AVUS - Covername for a BND site in Berlin *

B
BALL - Cryptonym for Sture Nyberg, who was wittingly involved in MINERVA (Crypto AG) *
BEGONIE - Covername for Denmark *
BERGFRIED - Covername for a BND site in Berlin *
BERGROSE - Covername for Denmark (1982)
BIBER - Covername for the Brazilian foreign intelligence service *
BLAU - German army SIGINT batallion intercept site and parallel HFDF station at Donauwörth *
BRUNELLA - Covername for Italy (1982)
BRUNELLA N, S - Covername for the Italian intelligence and security services
BURG-ZINNE - Covername for a HBW unit in Nuremburg *

C
CHARITE-RAUTE - Covername for a BND site in Munich *
CHIASMUS - Classified block cipher used to encrypt lower level classified communications
CHIEMSEE - Covername for a BND site in Bonn *
CHRYSANTHEME - Covername for Austria (1982)
CHRYSANTHEME Mil, Pol - Covername for the Austrian military and police intelligence and security services
CONCORDIA - Military eavesdropping operations conducted by the Bundeswehr (in 1972 combined with KOLCHOSE) *

D
DACAPO - Listening post outside the town of Krailling (closed in 1994) *
DAHLIE - Covername for Sweden (1982)
DATURA - Covername for Sweden (1982)
DELIKATESSE - BND operation related to the listening post near Cadiz in Spain (1975-1992) *
DREHPUNKT - Covername for the HFDF system at the US Army field station in Augsburg *

E
EIBSEE - Covername for a BND site in Stuttgart *
EICHKATZE - Codename for Pakistan's intelligence service *
EIKONAL - Joint NSA-BND operation for tapping a fiber optic cable of Deutsche Telekom in Frankfurt (2004-2008); part of NSA's RAMPART-A program; internal BND codename: GRANAT *
EISBERG - Reports from a joint BND-DGSE listening station at the Berlin Tegel airport (1976) *
EISENHUT - Covername for Luxemburg (1982)
EISMEER - BND listening post near Cadiz in Spain (1975-1992) *
EOS - Cryptonym for the CIA in relation to MINERVA (Crypto AG) *

F
FABRIK - Covername for a BND site in Berlin *
FALKENHOF - Covername for a BND site in Mainz *
FARN - Covername for the United Kingdom (1982)
FARN P, M, T, S - Covername for the various intelligence and security services of the United Kingdom
FASANERIE - Covername for a BND site in Hamburg *
FICHTENWALD - Covername for a BND site in Berlin *
FIDELIO - Cryptonym for DTG, the accounting firm involved in the purchase of Crypto AG (MINERVA) *
FLATTERMAN - Eavesdropping operation against the Bonn-based East German chief of protocol Günther Marsch (1975) *
FLIEDER - Codename for the Spanish intelligence service *
FOHLENHOF - Covername for a BND site in Munich *
FREGATE - French satellite intercept station near Kourou in French Guayana, built with money from BND and operational since 1990 *
FRETTCHEN - Codename for the Taiwanese intelligence service *

G
GAMMA - Cryptonym for the German intelligence service BND in relation to MINERVA (Crypto AG) *
GEWÖLBE - Covername for a HBW unit in Friedland *
GIPFELKREUZ - SIGINT intercept tower along the former border with East-Germany *
GLADIOLE - Covername for Norway (1982)
GLADIOLE M, S - Covername for Norwegian intelligence and security services
GLOBE - Erroneously used version of the codeword GLOBE *
GLOTAIC - Joint BND-CIA operation to acquire foreign telephone communications from the German subsidiary of MCI (2005) *
GOLDELSE - Cover name used by the BfV for the server on which its version of the XKEYSCORE system runs *
GOLDLACK - Covername for Spain (1982)
GOLDLACK N, S, P - Covername for Spanish intelligence and security services
GOLDMINE - ? *
GOLF - Cryptonym for AEH, the holding company that owned Crypto AG (MINERVA) *
GRANAT - Internal BND codename for operation EIKONAL *
GRAU - (former) ANBw SIGINT collection effort *
GRÜN - German army SIGINT batallion intercept site and parallel HFDF station at Frankenberg *

H
HAMAH - Database that could have been used by the HBW cover unit of BND *
HANA - In-memory database system made by SAP wich BND apparently wants to use for analysing metadata *
HARPUNE - Receiver for compressed coded messages, hidden in a radio (1970s-1980s) *
HECKENROSE - Covername for the FBI *
HECKENROSE-KURFÜRST - Covername for a BND site in Kassel *
HELIOS - French reconaissance satellites, the results of which may also be used by Belgium, Spain, Italy and Germany (since 1995)
HERMELIN - Covername for a BND site in Hamburg *
HERMOS - Joint NSA-BND operation to tap communication cables in a crisis zone country; part of NSA's RAMPART-A program (2012)
HOCKEY - Covername for GCHQ *
HORTENSIE I - Covername for the CIA *
HORTENSIE II - Covername for the DIA *
HORTENSIE III - Covername for the NSA *
HORUS - Proposed reconaissance satellite, replaced by the SAR-Lupe satellite system
HUMMER - Codename for intelligence reports from specific SIGINT collection operations or systems *
HYDRA - Cryptonym for Hans Buehler, a salesman for Crypto AG *

I
ICON - ?
IGEL - OPSEC project of BMI and BfV? *
INSTITUT - Covername for a BND site in Bonn *
IRIS - Covername for Finland (1982)

J
JUPITER - Microchip used to distribute the LIBELLE encryption algorithm

K
KARAT - See GRANAT
KIEL - Covername for a BND site in Hamburg *
KLAUSE - Covername for a BND site in Grünwald *
KLEEFELD - Covername for a BND collection and analysis site in Pöcking * *
KLEMATIS - Covername for the US Navy *
KOLCHOSE - Military eavesdropping operations conducted by the Bundeswehr (in 1972 combined with CONCORDIA) *
KOMET - Temporary (criminal) investigation commission *
KOMTESSE - BND codename for the proposed Wullenweber antenna system of the Bundeswehr near Flensburg *
KORIANDER - Covername for the Netherlands (1982)
KORNRADE - Covername for the Netherlands (1982)
KRESSE - Covername for the Netherlands (1982)
KRESSE N, S, H, L, MAR - Covername for Dutch intelligence and security services

L
LAFETTE - Covername for a BND site in Mainz *
LANDGRAF - Covername for a BND site in Bonn *
LANZE - BND listening post in a SIGINT station in the Pamir Mountains in China(since 1983) *
LAUS - Program for intercepting East German political communications over point-to-point radio systems (1970s) *
LEINE - Covername for a BND site in Hannover *
LERCHE - (former) SIGINT collection system *
LIBELLE - High-level classified encryption algorithm, distributed via the JUPITER or PLUTO chip

M
MARSTALL - Covername for a BND site in Geilenkirchen *
MATRIX - Some kind of BND system *
MELISSE - Covername for Greece (1982)
MELISSE N, S - Covername for Greek intelligence and security services
MIKADO II - Covername for a BND site in Munich *
MINERVA - Cryptonym for the Swiss manufacturer of encryption devices Crypto AG, which was purchased by CIA and BND in 1970 under operation THESAURUS *
MIRA4 - System for analysing phone and fax content (in 2010 replaced by INBE) * *
MOHN - Covername for Sweden (1982)
MONKEYSHOULDER - Proposed joint GCHQ-BND operation to tap a Deutsche Telekom cable in Frankfurt, Germany (cancelled in August 2013)*
MÜHLBERG - Covername for a BND depot in Schleissheim *
MÜHLE - Major radio transmission installation in Dachau/Kreuzholzhausen *

N
NACHERNTE - Military operation intercepting radio traffic in Czechoslovakia (1970s) *
NARZISSE - Codename for French intelligence services
NAVAHO - Cryptonym for Motorola in relation to MINERVA (Crypto AG) *
NIKOLAUS - Covername for the former BND headquarters in Pullach *
NITIDEZZA - Proposed 4,5 million euro BND program for buying zero-day exploits for access to encrypted signals between 2015-2020; part of the SIT program *

O
OLYMP - Covername for a BND site in Munich *
OLYMPIA - Cryptonym for the German company Siemens in relation to MINERVA (Crypto AG) *
ORION - Joint NSA-BND operation against targets "outside NATO's eastern border" (2005) *
ORION - Cover name for the BND site at Mangfall Barracks in Bad Aibling (previously: SEELAND-TORFSTICH) * *
ORLOG - BND operation for intercepting air-to-air and air-to-ground radio traffic of Soviet aircraft (early 1970s) *

P
PACKHAUS - Site for space SIGINT collection in Rheinhausen (1970s) *
PALAIS - Covername for a BND site in Berlin *
PALMENHAUS - Covername for a BND site in Berlin *
PAMIR - Operation in which the BND provided China with equipment to intercept Soviet communications and German jamming and deception systems were tested (1985-199?)*
PANTHER - Covername for the South African foreign intelligence service (1980s) *
PERSEUS - Covername used by the BfV for its system to intercept individual phone and internet connections (since 2004) *
PFINGSTROSE - Covername for Belgium (1982)
PFINGSTROSE M, S - Covername for Belgian intelligence and security services
PHOENIX - Covername for a BND site in Düsseldorf *
PLANET - BND site in the Munich suburb of Stockdorf *
PLUTO - Cryptoprocessor for encryption, authentication and key management
POSEIDON - Cover name used by the BfV for its analysis version of XKEYSCORE *
PUFFOTTER - Cover name for diamond trader Arthur Eller, an alleged middleman for the Russian mole Carsten Linke (2021) * *

R
REFEKTORIUM - Covername for a BND site in Hamburg *
REFUGIUM - Covername for a BND site in Tutzing *
REINGEWINN - Codename for intelligence reports from specific SIGINT collection operations or systems *
REITSTALL - Covername for a BND site in Guselried *
RESEDA - Covername for Finland (1982)
ROMAN - Military program for intercepting East German military communications (1970s) *
RÖMERSCHANZE - Covername for a BND site in Cologne *
ROT - German army SIGINT batallion intercept site and parallel HFDF station at Rotenburg/Wümme *
RUBIKON - Code name for the joint CIA-BND project to secretly run the Swiss manufacturer of encryption devices Crypto AG (cryptonym: MINERVA). Previously codenamed THESAURUS.*
RUBIN - Not a BND codeword, but the name of a cable management system used by Deutsche Telekom

S
SALBEI - Covername for Sweden (1982)
SANATORIUM - Covername for a BND site in Munich *
SANDWÜSTE - Reports from a joint BND-DGSE listening station at the Berlin Tegel airport (1976) *
SARah - Proposed reconaissance satellites, meant as replacement for the SAR-Lupe satellites after 2017
SAR-Lupe - German reconaissance satellites for military purposes (operational since 2008)
SCHNELLBAHN - System for rapid transmissions of compresses coded messages to agents in Eastern Europe (1970s) *
SCHÖNBRUNN - Covername for a BND site in Munich *
SCHWARZ - German army SIGINT processing analysis site near the village of Daun *
SCRABBLE - BND database to store selectors for packet-switched communications provided by NSA *
SEELACHS - Codename for intelligence reports from specific SIGINT collection operations or systems *
SEELAND-TORFSTICH - Cover name for the BND site at Mangfall Barracks in Bad Aibling (since 1988, later renamed into ORION) * *
SEQUOIA - Covername for the Russian foreign intelligence service SVR *
SIEGFRIED - Cryptonym for Oscar Stuerzinger, who was unwittingly involved in MINERVA (Crypto AG) *
SIGMA - Cryptonym for the German cryptologic service ZfCh in relation to MINERVA (Crypto AG) *
SMARAGD - Cable access operation somewhere outside Europe in cooperation with another foreign intelligence agency *
SPINNE - Military program for intercepting East German military communications *
STELLWERK - Initial codename of the BND SIGINT operations center in the Munich suburb of Stockdorf *
STERN - Temporary (criminal) investigation commission *
STIMMGABEL - Codename for intelligence reports from specific SIGINT collection operations or systems *
SUSANNE - Former SIGINT collection system *
SYMPHONIE - Covername for a BND site in Munich *

T
TAMBURIN - Codename for intelligence reports from specific SIGINT collection operations or systems *
TANNENHOF - Covername for a BND site in Munich *
TATTERSALL - Covername for a BND site in Berlin *
THESAURUS - Code name for the joint CIA-BND project to buy (in 1970) and secretly run the Swiss manufacturer of encryption devices Crypto AG (cryptonym: MINERVA). In the late 1980s renamed into RUBIKON.*
TIAMAT - Joint NSA-BND operation to tap communication cables for access to high-level international targets; part of NSA's RAMPART-A program (ended before 2013)
TOPAS - East German listening post in Czechoslovakia that intercepted messages from ALPINA *
TORPEDO - Covername for a BND site in Munich *
TRANSIT - Apparently the name used within Deutsche Telekom for collecting foreign traffic under operation Eikonal *

V
VENNLIG - Database that could have been used by the HBW cover unit of BND *

W
WARENLAGER - Covername for a BND site in Mainz *
WEBEREI - School of BND in Haar near Munich *
WEIDE - German army Direction-Finding site V in Übersee/Chiemsee (1988-1992) *
WEIßDORN - Covername for Portugal (1982)
WEIßDORN M, P, S - Covername for Portugese intelligence and security services
WHARPDRIVE - Joint NSA-BND operation to tap communication cables operated by a private company; part of NSA's RAMPART-A program (2013) * *
WICKE - Covername for France (1982)
WICKE N - Covername for the French foreign intelligence service DGSE
WICKE R - Covername for the French police intelligence service RG
WICKE S - Covername for the French domestic security service DST
WICKE V - Covername for the French refugee and immigrant questioning offices
WINZER - German army Direction-Finding site III in Mainz-Schwabenheim (est. 1988) *

Z
ZABBO - Satellite collection from Afghanistan which takes place in Bad Aibling *
ZITRONE - German army Direction-Finding site II in Diepholz (est. 1988) *
ZUGVOGEL - Division of labor agreement between BND and the Bundeswehr (1969) *


Since its foundation in 1956, the BND has given partner agencies flower names, which were used in internal correspondence as a camouflage designation. Hence, these partners were also known as the "Fleurop" group, like the flower delivery service.

 

Abbreviations and Acronyms

A
ABSINTH - Ausbau Bestehender Systeme Inmarsat an Neue Technische Herausforderungen (program for modernizing the interception of INMARSAT satellite traffic)
AFmBw - Amt für Fernmeldewesen der Bundeswehr
AKÜ - AuslandskopfÜberwachung
AL - AbteilungsLeiter (division manager)
AMK - Amt für MilitärKunde (cover agency for military BND employees)
ANBw - Amt für Nachrichtenwesen der Bundeswehr (military SIGINT center, est. 1978)
AND - Ausländischer NachrichtenDienst ("foreign intelligence agency")
ANISKI - Aufklärung NIcht-Standardisierter Kommunikation im Internet *
APB - Aufgabenprofil der Bundesregierung
AutoKO - Automatisiertes Kommunikationssystem (German army communications system, introduced in 1977, phased out since 2010)

B
BA - Bad Aibling (satellite intercept station)
BAMF - Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge (immigration office)
BDSG - BundesDatenSchutzGesetz
BfDI - Bundesbeauftragten für Datenschutz und Informationsfreiheit
BfSt - Bundesstelle für Fernmeldestatistik
BfV - Bundesamt für Verfassungsschutz (domestic security service)
BIT - Bundesstelle für Informationstechnik
BIZ Netz - ? (internal BND information request/ticket system)
BMI - BundesMinisterium des Innern (Department of the Interior)
BMVg - BundesMinisterium der Verteidigung (federal defense department)
BND - BundesNachrichtenDienst (foreign intelligence service)
BNDG - BND Gesetz (BND Law)
BSI - Bundesamt für Sicherheit in der Informationstechnik (federal information assurance agency)
BVN - BundesVerwaltungsNetz (government computer network)
Bw - Bundeswehr (German armed forces)

C
CGG - Combined Group Germany (NSA/GCHQ liaison office in Munich, for joint exploitation of satellite communications)*
CIR - Cyber- und Informationsraum (German armed forces cyber command)

D
DAFIS - DAtenFIlterSystem? (filters out communications of German citizens, used since ca. 2005) * Succeeded the SELMA system *
DAND - ?
DS - DienstStelle (unit within BND)
DSV2 - DigitalSignalVerbindung, 2 Mbit/s
DTAG - Deutsche Telekom AG
DTH-M - Deutsche Treuhand Gesellschaft-München (BND front company that acquired Crypto AG)*
DV - Dienstvorschrift (internal regulation)

E
EA - Einsatzgebiete/Auslandsbeziehungen (BND division: Areas of Operation & Foreign Liaison)
EASD - EchtzeitAnalyse von StreamingDaten (proposed program for the automated analysis of open source information from social media platforms, 2014) *
ELOKA - ELektronische KAmpfführung (German army electronic warfare battalions, est. 1994) *

F
FAKT - FernmeldeAufklärung, Kabelgestützte Telekommunikation (signals intelligence from cable communications)

G
G-10 - Grundgesetz, Artikel 10 (section 10 of the German constitution)
GASIM - Gemeinsames Analyse- und Strategiezentrum Illegale Migration
GBA - General Bundesanwalt (federal prosecutor)
GBRTF - ? (UK signals intelligence/GCHQ)
Geh. - Geheim/Stufe I (classification level Secret)
GL - Abteilung GesamtLage (BND division: Situation Centre)
GTAZ - Gemeinsames TerrorismusAbwehrZentrum (joint counter-terrorism center
GU - Gesamtlage und Unterstützende Fachdienste (BND coordination and operations center) *

H
H - Horchposten (listening station)
HBW - Hauptstelle für BefragungsWesen (unit for interrogating refugees)
HFDF - High-Frequency Direction-Finding
HiROS - High Resolution Optical System (proposed spy satellite system)
HSG – Hauptsachgebiet

I
ID - Innerer Dienst (BND internal services division) *
INBE - INhaltliche BEarbeitung (tool for analysing content; succeeded MIRA4 in 2010)*
ISG - Islamistische Gefährder (Islamic suspects, part of a selector)
ISNoVPN - ? (operational network)
ISPO - ? (BND database)
IT - InformationsTechnik (BND division for communications technology) *
ITO - IT Operation (BND hacking operation?)
IVBB - InformationsVerbund Bonn-Berlin (government computer network)
IVBV - InformationsVerbund der BundesVerwaltung (government computer network)

J
JAC - Joint Analysis Center (NSA-BND unit in Bad Aibling, 1998-2011)*
JSA - Joint SIGINT Activity (joint NSA-BND unit in Bad Aibling, 2004-2012)

K
KRITIS - Kritische Infrastrukturen
KSA - Kommando Strategische Aufklärung
KW - Kurze Welle (High Frequency)

L
L - Leiter (head of an organization or a unit thereof)
LA - Länderregion A (Regionale Auswertung und Beschaffung A - BND division for the rest of the world) *
LAP - Landwirtschaftspolitik (Agriculture politics, part of a selector)
LB - Länderregion B (Regionale Auswertung und Beschaffung B - BND division for Africa, Middle East and Afghanistan) *
LfV - Landesamt für Verfassungsschutz (state security service)
LoNo - LotusNotes (used by BND for internal communications)
LSZ – Leitungsschlüsselzahl
LVP - LiegenschaftsVerwaltung Pullach (real estate management Pullach)
LW - Lange Welle (Low Frequency)

M
MAD - Militärischer AbschirmDienst (military security service)
MIRA 4 - Modulare Integrierte Ressourcen Architektur, Stufe 4

N
NADIS - Nachrichtendienstliches Informationssystem
ND - NachrichtenDienst (intelligence service)
NDV - Nachrichtendienstliche Verbindung
NG-Netz - ? (back-end network at Bad Aibling)
NKÜ - NetzKnoten der Übertragungstechnik
NSAUA - NSA UntersuchungsAusschuss (temporary parliamentary investigation commission on NSA spying activities)

O
ÖS - Öffentliche Sicherheit (public safety division of the Interior Ministry)

P
P6 - Project 6 (joint BND, BfV and CIA anti-terrorism unit, stationed in Neuss, Germany; 2005-2010)*
PANOS - Projekte ANISKI und URAn/OS *
PBDB - PersonenBezogene DatenBestände * (BND tasking database) *
PG NAM - Projektgruppe Neue Analyse-Methoden
PKGr - Parlamentarisches KontrollGremium (permanent parliamentary oversight committee)
PLS - Präsident/LeitungsStab (staff of the BND director)
PUA - Parlamentarischer UntersuchungsAusschuss (parliamentary investigative committee)
PX - ? (database supporting the joint BND, BfV and CIA anti-terrorism unit Project 6)*

R
ReSA - Regionalstelle für staatliche SonderAuflagen (lawful intercept units within Deutsche Telekom)
RL - Referatsleiter (BND sub-division leader)
RZ - RechenZentrum (data center)

S
SAP - ? (BND database?) *
SAW - SonderAusWertung (internal investigation commission)
SB - Sonderbericht (special report)
SELMA - (?) Predecessor of the DAFIS filtering system *
SGL - Sachgebietsleiter (head of a BND unit)
SI - Eigensicherung (BND division for internal security) *
SINA - Sichere Inter-Netzwerk Architektur (security enhanced Linux and hardware architecture)
SIT - Strategische Initiative Technik (300 million euro technical modernization program)
SSCD - SIGINT Support to Cyber Defense (multilateral cyber defense initiative) *
Str. Geh. - Streng Geheim/Stufe II (classification level Top Secret)
Str. Geh. SW - Streng Geheim Schutzwort (classification level Top Secret/SCI)
StraFmA - Strategische Fernmeldeaufklärung (strategic signals intelligence)
SÜG - Sicherheitsüberprüfungsgesetz
SUSLAG - Special US Liaison Advisor, Germany (NSA representative at BND)
SW - Schutzwort (codeword)
SWOP - SWitch-OPerationen (proposed program to get access to foreign internet providers, 2014) *

T
T1E - BND unit for collection from cable accesses in Germany
T2A - Abteilung Beschaffungslage und Selektion (unit for acquisition and selection)
T2C - BND analysis and production unit for Terrorism and Proliferation
T2D - BND analysis and production unit for Political and Economic issues
TA - Technische Aufklärung (BND division for Signals Intelligence) *
TAG - Technische Aufklärung - Rechtsangelegenheiten und G10 (legal unit)
TAZ - Technische Aufklärung - Referat Z
TDM - (Technical Directors Meeting?)
TE - (Internationaler Terrorismus und Internationale Organisierte Kriminalität - BND division for Terrorism and International Organised Crime) *
TEF - Terrorfinanzierung (financing terror, part of a selector)
TK - TeleKommunikation
TKM - TeleKommunikationsMerkmal (set of related selectors)
TKÜ - TeleKommunikationsÜberwachung (lawful interception)
TKÜV - TeleKommunikations-ÜberwachungsVerordnung (2002)
TN - Tarnname (cover name)
TND - Target Number Database
TW - Proliferation, ABC-Waffen, Wehrtechnik (BND division for Proliferation and NBC Weapons) *

U
Ü1-3 - Sicherheitsüberprüfung (security clearance level; for certain information an even higher clearance seems needed)
UA - Unterabteilung (sub-division)
UAL - UnterAbteilungsLeiter (sub-division manager)
UF - Unterstützende Fachdienste (BND division: Supporting Services)
UM - Umzug (BND division for the relocation to Berlin) *
UP - Umsetzungsplan
URAn/OS - Unified Realtime Analysis of OSINT *
USAMD - ? (US military intelligence/DIA)
USANI - ? (US civilian intelligence/CIA)
USATF - ? (US signals intelligence/NSA)

V
VERAS - Verkehrs-Analyse-System (tool for analysing both phone and internet? metadata derived from cable-bound traffic, since 2002) * *
VERBA - VERkehrs-Beziehungs-Analyse
VG-10 - Interception project *
VIPER - Verbesserung der IP-ERfassung (proposed 38 million euro program for analyzing internet content, 2014) *
VISTA - Verbesserung der Informationsverarbeitungs- und Selektionsfähigkeit der Technischen Aufklärung (11,5 million euro investment program for improving metadata analysis)
V-Leute - Vertrauens- oder VerbindungsLeute (informants)
VS - VerschlussSache (classified information)
VSA - VerschlussSachenAnweisung
VS-NfD - VerschlussSache-Nur für den Dienstgebrauch (classification level Restricted)
VS-Vertr. - VerschlussSache-Vertraulich (classification level Confidential)

W
WPR - Waffenproduktion (Weapens production, part of a selector)

Z
ZERBERUS - Zukunftsfähige Erweiterung Bestehender ERfassungstechnologien Und -Systeme (9,5 million euro interception expansion program)
ZEUS - Zentrales Entwicklungs- und Unterstützungsprojekt SSCD (proposed 17,5 million euro project to participate in the SSCD program by 2017) *
ZEVKO - Zentrales verteilung- und Kommunikationssystem im Dienstnetz (system used by BND's T1 collection division) *
ZfCh - Zentrale für das Chiffrierwesen (Cryptographic Center of BND in Bonn-Bad Godesberg, succeeded by ZSI)
ZIP - Zentrales Informationssystem für die [...] (BND database)*
ZITIS - Zentrale stelle für InformationsTechnik Im Sicherheitsbereich *
ZIVIT - Zentrum für Informationsverarbeitung und Informationstechnik
ZSI - Zentralstelle für Sicherheit in der Informationstechnik (succeeded by BSI in 1991)
ZY - Zentralabteilung (BND division for personnel and legal issues) *
ZYF - 6. Referat in der Abteilung ZY (BND legal branch)

 

BND Locations

As of June 6, 2014, the BND abandoned the use of legends for its field stations, that were previously known as "Fernmeldeweitverkehrsstelle der Bundeswehr" and "Ionosphäreninstitut". Currently, the BND has the following locations:
- Berlin: New headquarters (as of 2014/16)
- Pullach (Bayern): Headquarters until 2014/16; SIGINT unit stays
- Schöningen (Niedersachsen): Satellite interception (voice and fax from Thuraya, Inmarsat and GSM)
- Rheinhausen (Baden-Württemberg): Satellite interception
- Bad Aibling (Bayern): Satellite interception
- Gablingen (Bayern): HF radio interception
- Stockdorf (Bayern): Infrastructure and education
- Söcking (Bayern): Infrastructure and education

- Several field and liaison offices in foreign countries

See also: BND organizational structure and the German classification system




Links and Sources
- Listing in German: Geheimdienstliche Akronyme und Codenamen
- Zeit.de: Die geheime Überwachungswunschliste des BND
- Internal NSA presentation: Structure of the BND (pdf)
- Manfred Bischoff: Der Bundesnachrichtendienst (BND)
- Erich Schmidt-Eenboom, "The Bundesnachrichtendienst, the Bundeswehr and Sigint in the Cold War and After", in: Matthew M. Aid & Cees Wiebes ed., Secrets of Signals Intelligence during the Cold War and Beyond (pdf), Frank Cass, London 2001, p. 129-171.

2 comments:

Lampenkueche said...

Hello,

under Acronyms there is the Bundesstelle für Fernmeldestatistik (BFSt) missing.
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bundesstelle_f%C3%BCr_Fernmeldestatistik

Bye Peter

P/K said...

Thank you, I've added it!

In Dutch: Meer over het wetsvoorstel voor de Tijdelijke wet cyberoperaties