TheJoint Sigint Cyber Unit (JSCU) is a Dutch government organisation, which was founded in 2013[1] and became operational on June 15, 2014.[2] JSCU's primary tasks are intercepting radio and satellite traffic (Sigint) and obtaining intelligence throughcyber-operations. The organisation cooperates closely with allied foreign intelligence agencies.[3]
The JSCU headquarters is located in theAIVD building inZoetermeer, and houses approximately 350 employees.[3] Other JSCU divisions are housed with theMIVD inThe Hague.[6]
Before the founding of the JSCU, theNationale SIGINT Organisatie (NSO) was the organisation tasked with interception of radio and satellite traffic. The NSO also operated under the joint command of the AIVD and MIVD. The NSO formally became part of JSCU when it was created on June 15, 2014.
The JSCU specializes inSigint and Cyber. Sigint includes intelligence gathered from (tele)communications. AIVD defines 'Cyber' as a group of activities related to computer networks and data streams. Examples given are mapping out the Internet landscape in (new) mission areas, informing allies about dangerouscomputer viruses, or hacking terrorist websites.[7]
To intercept wireless communication the JSCU operates two interception stations, formerly managed by theNSO: atBurum for the interception of satellite traffic and atEibergen for the interception of high-frequency radio traffic.
The satellite interception station atIt Grutte Ear [fy] (The Big Ear) nearBurum (2012)
The interception station for satellite traffic is located inBurum (Kollumerland c.a. municipality) in the province ofFriesland. It became fully operational in 2006. Construction of this station (officially named 'Satelliet Grondstation Burum') began in 2005 as a replacement for the former ground station inZoutkamp in northernGroningen.
The telecom operatorStratos (formerlyXantic), operates a satellite ground station (formallySatellite ground station 12, but more commonly known by its nickname:It Grutte Ear [fy] (The Big Ear).) nearBurum. The NSO interception station was created in the south-eastern corner of the existing Stratos satellite station property. Two large 18m diameter satellite dishes, nine smaller 11m diameter satellite dishes, and four so-calledwaffle-irons which are 4 meters in diameter were added for Sigint purposes.[8]
A second JSCU intercept station is located on the military baseKamp Holterhoek inEibergen in theAchterhoek region. Since 1967 the 898th signal battalion, stationed atEibergen, has been intercepting radio traffic from the formerEastern Bloc countries. In 1998 the battalion merged with the 1st Air Force signal battalion fromAlphen, and part of the Naval Intelligence Service (the Technisch Informatie Verwerkingscentrum) fromEemnes, and became the newOperationeel Verbindings-Inlichtingen Centrum (Operational Signal-Intelligence Centre, OVIC), atEibergen.[9]
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