Welcome to the National Security Agency - NSA/CSS

Our Mission

The National Security Agency/Central Security Service (NSA/CSS) leads the U.S. Government in cryptology that encompasses both Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) and Information Assurance (IA) products and services, and enables Computer Network Operations (CNO) in order to gain a decision advantage for the Nation and our allies under all circumstances.

GOAL 1: Succeeding in Today’s Operations - Enable wise policymaking, effective national security action, and U.S. freedom of action in cyberspace by exploiting foreign use of electronic signals and systems and securing information systems used by the U.S. and its allies, while protecting privacy and civil liberties.

GOAL 2: Preparing for the Future - Deliver next generation capabilities and solutions that meet the challenges of tomorrow and drive solutions from invention to operation in support of national security and U.S. Government missions.

GOAL 3: Enhancing and Leading an Expert Workforce - Attract, develop and engage an exceptional, diverse workforce prepared to overcome our cryptologic challenges.

GOAL 4: Implementing Best Business Practices - Provide timely data to inform optimal strategic and tactical investment decisions while ensuring organizational accountability for executing those decisions and realizing the associated performance improvement.

GOAL 5: Manifesting Principled Performance - Accomplishing our missions with a commitment to a principled and steadfast approach to performance through compliance, lawfulness, and protection of public trust must be paramount.

Core Values

We will protect national security interests by adhering to the highest standards of behavior:

• Lawfulness – We will adhere to the spirit and the letter of the Constitution and the laws and regulations of the United States.
• Honesty – We will be truthful with each other, and honor the public’s need for openness, balanced against national security interests.
• Integrity – We will behave honorably and apply good judgment as we would if our activities were under intense public scrutiny.
• Fairness – We will ensure equal opportunity and fairness in Agency policies, programs, and practices.
• Accountability – We will be accountable for our actions and take responsibility for our decisions, practicing wise stewardship of public resources and placing prudent judgment over expediency.
• Loyalty – We will be loyal to the nation, the mission, and each other, weighing ideas solely on the merits and ensuring that decisions enjoy vigorous debate while being made, followed by unified implementation.
• Collaboration – We will cooperate with others in a respectful and open-minded manner, to our mutual success.
• Innovation – We will seek new ways to accomplish our mission, planning for the future based on what we’ve learned from the past, and thinking ahead to the best of our ability to avoid unintended consequences.
• Learning – We will acquire and transfer knowledge, provide the resources and training necessary for our people to remain at the forefront of technology, and individually pursue continuous learning.