| BfV | Bundesamt fur Verfassungsschutz (German internal security service) |
| BND | Bundesnachrichtendienst (German foreign intelligence service) |
| C&AG | Comptroller and Auditor-General |
| CDI | Chief of Defence Intelligence |
| CESG | Communications Electronics Security Group, GCHQ |
| CESIS | Italian intelligence co-ordination body |
| CIA | Central Intelligence Agency (US) |
| CSE | Communications Security Establishment (Canadian GCHQ equivalent) |
| CSI | Ministerial Committee on the Intelligence Services |
| CSIS | Canadian Security Intelligence Service (Canadian internal security service) |
| DCI | Director of Central Intelligence (US) |
| DGSE | Direction Generale de la Securite Exterieure (French foreign intelligence service) |
| DIS | Defence Intelligence Staff, MOD |
| DRM | Direction du Renseignement Militaire (French DIS equivalent) |
| DST | Direction de la Surveillance du Territoire (French internal security service) |
| FBI | Federal Bureau of Investigation (US) |
| FISA | Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (US) |
| GAE | General Administrative Expenditure |
| GAO | General Accounting Office (US) |
| GCHQ | Government Communications Headquarters |
| IG | Inspector-General of intelligence and security services (US, Canada, Australia etc) |
| INR | Bureau of Intelligence and Research, State Department (US) |
| IOB | Intelligence Oversight Board (US) |
| IOCA | Interception of Communications Act 1985 |
| ISA | Intelligence Services Act 1994 |
| IT | Information Technology |
| JIC | Joint Intelligence Committee |
| MOD | Ministry of Defence |
| MRP | Security Service Manual of Recording Policy |
| NAO | National Audit Office |
| NATO | North Atlantic Treaty Organisation |
| NCIS | National Criminal Intelligence Service |
| NSA | National Security Agency (US GCHQ equivalent) |
| OCE | Other Current Expenditure |
| PES | Public Expenditure Survey |
| PFI | Private Finance Initiative |
| PFIAB | President's Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board (US) |
| PSIS | Permanent Secretaries' Committee on the Intelligence Services |
| RG | Renseignements Generaux (French internal police/security service) |
| SGDN | Secretariat General de la Defense Nationale (French co-ordinating body on national defence and security matters) |
| SIRC | Security Intelligence Review Committee (Canadian oversight body) |
| SIS | Secret Intelligence Service |
| SISDE | Italian internal security service |
| SISMI | Italian military intelligence service |
| SIV | Single Intelligence Vote |
| SIVR | Single Intelligence Vote Review |
| SO(SSPP) | Sub-committee of the Official Committee on Security, on Security Service Priorities and Performance |
| VX | SIS, Vauxhall Cross |
