The Swedish Security Service , former name Rikspolisstyrelsens säkerhetsavdelning (RPS/SÄK, literally "the National Police Board's Department of Security"), is the security service

Intelligence agency

An intelligence agency is a governmental agency that is devoted to information gathering for purposes of national security and defence. Means of information gathering may include espionage, communication interception, cryptanalysis, cooperation with other institutions, and evaluation of public...

 of Sweden

Sweden

Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....

, belonging to the Swedish National Police Board.

Area of responsibility

As the National Security Service's areas of responsibility are counter-intelligence

Counter-intelligence

Counterintelligence or counter-intelligence refers to efforts made by intelligence organizations to prevent hostile or enemy intelligence organizations from successfully gathering and collecting intelligence against them. National intelligence programs, and, by extension, the overall defenses of...

, counter-terrorism

Counter-terrorism

Counter-terrorism is the practices, tactics, techniques, and strategies that governments, militaries, police departments and corporations adopt to prevent or in response to terrorist threats and/or acts, both real and imputed.The tactic of terrorism is available to insurgents and governments...

, protection of the constitution

Constitution

A constitution is a set of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is governed. These rules together make up, i.e. constitute, what the entity is...

 and protection of sensitive objects, including royal and diplomatic protection, it is to be expected that its work is often surrounded by a great deal of confidentiality. In recent years, however, there has been a development towards greater openness. It is the duty of the National Security Service to detect and take measures against crimes against national security, and in many cases, the Security Service also handles the investigations of such crimes. Sometimes, however, such investigations are carried out by regular police units, while the Security Service provides the necessary intelligence.

Military intelligence

Military intelligence

Military intelligence

Military intelligence is a military discipline that exploits a number of information collection and analysis approaches to provide guidance and direction to commanders in support of their decisions....

 operations are legally restricted to departments of the Swedish Armed Forces

Swedish Armed Forces

The Swedish Armed Forces is a Swedish Government Agency responsible for the operation of the armed forces of the Realm. The primary task of the agency is to train, organize and to deploy military forces, domestically and abroad, while maintaining the long-term ability to defend the Realm in the...

 (MUST, Militära Underrättelse- och Säkerhetstjänsten (Military Intelligence and Security Service

Military Intelligence and Security Service Sweden

Military Intelligence and Security Service , MUST, is a division of the Swedish Armed Forces Central Command. It is responsible for Sweden's military intelligence such as acquiring and presenting information that is of military importance regarding foreign powers and managing the security for vital...

)) and separate agencies like the Swedish Defence Radio Establishment (FRA, Försvarets Radioanstalt) and the Swedish Defence Research Agency

Swedish Defence Research Agency

The Swedish Defence Research Agency is a Swedish government agency for defence research that reports to the Ministry of Defence. It has its headquarters in Kista, Stockholm and other locations in Grindsjön south of Stockholm, Linköping and Umeå...

(FOI, Totalförsvarets Forskningsinstitut).