This page contains a combined view of NSA’s Exceptionally Controlled Information (ECI) compartment lists from 2003 and 2013. Rows in blue are only present in the 2003 version, whereas rows in red are only present in the 2013 version. Non-colored rows are present in both versions.

The two versions of the document differ considerably: the 2003 version of the document not only lists the compartment coverterm and trigraph, it describes what information is controlled by the ECI. Because this information is so sensitive, the document is labeled as TOP SECRET//COMINT//ORCON//NOFORN//X1, and it states that only DIRNSA can grant permission to reproduce or extract data from the list. This contrasts with the 2013 document, which is only classified as CONFIDENTIAL, since it does not contain descriptions of the ECI compartments. The 2013 document, however, does list the NSA organization designator that manages the ECI information, and the 2003 version does not.

On this page, I’ve added a final column (“Additional Disclosures”) that contains information and references that are not present in the original documents, but come from additional sources. Note that all coverterms and trigraphs are classified as U//FOUO, which has been omitted for brevity.

Organizations

The 2013 document contains information regarding the internal NSA group that handles the information controlled under the ECI. A list of all the organizations referenced in this document is below; for a complete list of NSA’s organizational designations, visit Top Level Communications.

Combined View of NSA ECI (2003 and 2013)

ECI Coverterm Trigraph Organization Protected Information Overlapping Programs Additional Disclosures
ABEYANT N/A (TS//SI) Protects information related to sensitive SIGINT Enabling relationships. (S) Encompasses four ECIs: APERIODIC, AUNTIE, AMBULANT, and FIRSTDOWN
AMBULANT AMB NCSC (TS//SI) Protects information related to sensitive SIGINT Enabling relationships. (S) Under ABEYANT program. Related to BULLRUN.*
APERIODIC APR NCSC (TS//SI) Protects information related to sensitive SIGINT Enabling relationships. (S) Under ABEYANT program. Related to BULLRUN.*
AUNTIE AUN (2013)
APR [sic] (2003)		 NCSC (TS//SI) Protects information related to sensitive SIGINT Enabling relationships. (S) Under ABEYANT program. Related to BULLRUN.*
BLACKANT BAT TAO/S32
BLACKAXE BAX TAO/S32
BLACKBALL BKL TAO/S32
BLACKCLOUD BCL TAO/S32
BLACKHOLE BLH TAO/S32
BLACKJACK BKJ TAO/S32
BLACKTIE BKT TAO/S32
BLACKVULTURE BVE TAO/S32
BLACKWIDOW BKW TAO/S32
BOATMEN BTM (TS//SI//NF) Feasibility study for special exfiltration initiatives between NSA and a Third Party. (U) N/A
BOXWOOD BXD S2H (TS//SI//NF) Protects a sensitive sole source of lucrative communications intelligence emanating from a target. (U) N/A
BULLET BLT (TS//Sl//NF) Protects NSA's potential assistance in reconstituting a Third Party's SIGINT collection capability. (U) N/A
CELESTIALGLOBE CLG S2B
CHIEFDOM CFD NCSC
CHILLY CHI (TS//SI//NF) Protects details of NSA association with and active participation in planning and execution of sensitive Integrated Joint Special Technical Operations (IJSTO) offensive Information Warfare (IW) strategies. (TS//SI//NF) IJSTO is the US Government process for the planning, deployment and employment of Special Access Program (SAP) weapons
CLERIC CLC (TS//SI) Protects policy exchanges between NSA and GCHQ related to Special Source activities. (U) N/A
CLICKNUMBER CKU S0242
CONQUERER CON (TS//SI//NF) Protects fact of joint NSA/CIA clandestine Radio Frequency operations. (S) CIA's KLAMATH (KLM) Control Channel
CRIMSONREGENT CSG S2B
CRIMSTONSTEAL CSL S2B
CRUMPET CRM TSMI/S34
DECKSTOP DKP TSMI/S34 (TS//SI//NF) Protects information that would reveal clandestine SIGINT sources of collection against a high priority target's internal domestic communications. (U) N/A
DEVILFISH DVH TAO/S32
DICHOTOMY DCH (TS//SI) Protects raw traffic and signals reporting information gained from especially sensitive (perishable) and clandestine sources. (U) Disestablished on 1 Oct 03.
DILEMMA DLM (TS//SI) "Fact Of" a particular collection capability from their tightly controlled channel and placed in this ECI (TS//SI) Relates to a US Military unacknowledged SAP and Control System referred to at NSA as RAMPART M.
DIXIESPRING DXS NCSC
DOMINATE DOM GAO/S35 (TS//SI//NF) Protects sensitive sources and methods used to determine the frequencies targeted by a target COMINT collection system. (C) All intelligence derived under this program is handled via FLEXURE reporting channels.
ENSIGN ENS (TS//SI//NF) Protects potential NSA partnership with a Third Party in clandestine SIGINT activity in a specific location. (TS//SI//NF) STAIRWELL also covers NSA partnership with this Third Party in unconventional SIGINT initiatives.
ESCAPEE ESCP (TS//SI//NF) U.S. component to ECI STATEROOM (U//FOUO) STATEROOM
EVADEYIELD EVY (TS//SI//NF) Protects NSA's capability to exploit voice or telephonic conversations from an extremely sensitive source. (U) N/A
FASTIDIOUS FDS TAO/S32
FIRESCREEN FRE CES/S31
FIRSTDOWN FRS NCSC (TS//SI) Protects information related to sensitive SIGINT Enabling relationships. (S) Under ABEYANT program
FISSURESALUTE FST TAO/S32
FLEXURE FLX (S) Protects military and civilian assets from detection by an adversay. (S) Works with data collected by DOMINATE
FLYLEAF FLE TAO/S32
FORBIDDEN FBD S2D (TS//SI//NF) Protects information pertaining to joint operations conducted by NSA, GCHQ, CSE, CIA, and FBI against foreign intelligence agents. (U) N/A
FORBORNE FBR S2D (C//REL TO USA, CAN, AND GBR) Protects the fact that the National Security Agency, GCHQ, and CSE can exploit ciphers used by hostile intelligence services. (U) N/A
FOXHEAT FXH TSMI/S34
FREELUNCH FLH TAO/S32
FROTHYTWOPACK FTP TAO/S32
FURTIVERELIANCE FUR S2H
GRAYSCALE GRL (TS//SI//REL TO USA, AUS, CAN, GBR AND NZL) Protects information that could allow Second-Party-partner-assisted network infiltration operations to be detected and recognized. (U) N/A
GOLDENCALF GDC TAO/S32
HELLFIRE HLF NCSC (TS//SI//NF) Protects activities of non-INFOSEC elements ofNSA providing INFOSEC assistance to another non-hostile government. (U) N/A
HISTORY HST NCSC (TS//SI//NF) Protects NSA and certain commercial cryptologic equipment manufacturer relationships. (U) N/A
HYSSOP HYS TAO/S32
INVEIGH INV TAO/S32 (S//SI) Protects vendor access to various diplomatic targets within the United States. (U) N/A
INVENT IVT (TS//SI//NF) Protects NSA partnership with a Third Party in special SIGINT collection efforts in a specific location. (TS//SI//NF) ENSIGN covers clandestine SIGINT activity with this Third Party as INVENT. STAIRWELL covers unconventional SIGINT activity with this Third Party.
KESSELRUN KES CES/S31
LIGHTNINGTHIEF LTF TAO/S32
LITTLECROWN LCN TAO/S32
LONGSERPENT LGS TAO/S32
LYSERGIC LSG (TS//SI) Protects NSA's efforts to select and prosecute foreign deployed telecommunications cables as SIGINT targets. (S) CIA's KLAMATH (KLM) Control System.
MAGICSTROKE MGK TAO/S32
MERCURYTAO MYT GAO/S35
MISCHIEF MSF (TS//SI) The highest level of access protecting sources, targets, sites, and unique collection techniques of the BLARNEY program. (U//FOUO) RAGTIME
NITEHAWK NHK GAO/S35
OCELLUS OCL TAO/S32
OPALESCE OPS (S//SI//REL TO USA, AUS, CAN, GBR AND NZL) Protects Close Access SIGINT collection operations, which require a specialized sensor, positioned in close physical proximity to the target device or facility. (U) N/A
PAINTEDEAGLE PEA CES/S31 Related to BULLRUN.*
PAWLEYS PAW NCSC (TS//SI) Protects and covers clandestine access to cryptographic information and material. It protects the operational details, as well as any materials, technical information and SIGINT capabilities (S) CIA is the primary partner organization, which includes the FBI and DIA/DHS through TAREX. Also includes 2nd Party counterpart organizations.
  • "Protects clandestine HUMINT and computer network access intended to obtain cryptographic information and material. It protects operational details, as well as any equipment, materials, technical information, and some SIGINT capabilities gained as a result of such access."*
  • Related to BULLRUN.*
PAWNSHOP PWN CES/S31
PENDLETON PEN CES/S31 (TS//SI//REL TO USA, AUS, CAN, GBR, NZL) Protects NSA's investment in manpower and resources to acquire our current bottom line capabilities to exploit SIGINT targets by attacking public key cryptography as well as investment in technology. (U) N/A Related to BULLRUN.*
PENDRAGON PND GAO/S35
PERKYAUTUMN PRK CES/S31
PHENYLDOUR PHD S0242
PICARESQUE PIQ CES/S31
  • Exploitation against VPN and/or VOIP encryption technologies.*
  • Related to BULLRUN.*
PICAROON PCR CES/S31
PIEDMONT PIE CES/S31 (TS//SI//REL TO USA, AUS, CAN, GBR, NZL) Provides protection to NSA's bottom line capabilities to exploit SIGINT targets by attacking the hard mathematical problems underlying public key cryptography as well as any future technologies as may be developed. (U) N/A Related to BULLRUN.*
PITCHFORD PIT CES/S31 (TS//SI) Details of certain cryptographies in which materials have been derived from a sensitive source or method. (U) N/A Related to BULLRUN.*
PLACEBO PLC CES/S31
POMPANO POM CES/S31
PRESSURETWIN PTN TAO/S32
RAGTIME RGT (TS//Sl) The second level of access protecting the identity of targets/target locations and cooperative relationships within the BLARNEY program. See MISCHIEF entry. (U) N/A
REDHARVEST RDV GAO/S35 Related to RAMPART-A cooperative cable tapping operations, this ECI protects who the partner is, where the access is, and what the access is.*
REEFPOINT RFT TAO/S32
REFRACTOR RFR I (TS//SI//NF) Protects engineering and operational processes associated with tailoring U.S. Information Assurance equipment for release to and use by foreign countries. (U) N/A
REVELRY RVL NCSC
RIVERROAD RVD TAO/S32
RUBIOUS RBI TAO/S32 (TS//SI//NF) Protects information that could allow otherwise unilateral U.S. network infiltration operations to be detected and recognized. (U) N/A
SAILWINDS SLD GAO/S35
SCABBARD SBD TAO/S32
SILVERCLOUD SVC GAO/S35
SINKGOAL SKG TAO/S32
STAIRWELL STA (2013)
STRW (2003)		 S2E (TS//SI//NF) Protects NSA partnership with a Third Party in unconventional SIGINT activity. (U//FOUO) ENSIGN and INVENT
STARCHART SRC TAO/S32
STATEROOM STRM (S//SI) Restricts access to information about personnel involved in covert collection, processing and reporting of SIGINT from diplomatic missions abroad. This activity is conducted by USA, AUS, CAN, GBR, and NZL. (S) U.S.-only version is ESCAPEE
STEREO SRO (TS//SI) The same level of access as ECI RAGTIME, though used to identify those individuals who require special handling/data sanitization training. (U) N/A
STRESSFUL SRF (TS//SI//NF) Protects exploitation of specific communications associated with individuals and organizations involved in money laundering in support of narcotics trafficers and organized crime targets of interest. (U) N/A
SUITESWIVEL STV TAO/S32
TAXONOMY TXM (TS//SI) Protects policy exchanges between NSA and CSE related to Special Source activities. (U) N/A
TRICKSHOT TST TAO/S32
VISITOR VSR (TS//SI) The lowest level of access protecting the fact of the BLARNEY program and that it is governed by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. (U) N/A
WASHBURN WSB (TS//SI) Covers CLANSIG effort with CIA to exploit a SIGINT source in a Middle Eastern location then in the research and analysis phase. ECI created for use solely with GCHQ to shield GCHQ from CIA's NOFORN Control Channel. (S) CIA's KLAMATH (KLM) Control System.
WAXOFF WXF TAO/S32
WHIPGENIE WPG GAO/S35
  • "Covers Special Source Operations (S332) relationships with U.S. Corporate Partners"*
  • SSO operations under STELLARWIND may be ECI-WPG.*