The National Security Agency/Central Security Service (NSA/CSS) was established in November 1952 to provide a cryptologic organization for the civilian and military leaders of the United States and to provide them with timely information. The National Security Agency (NSA) coordinates, directs, and performs highly specialized activities to produce foreign intelligence information and protect United States information systems through two main missions, Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) and Information Assurance (IA). The Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) mission uses cryptologic machines to break foreign codes to find out what they know and what they are doing. The biggest accomplishment publicly known was when they broke the Japanese military code in World War II and learned that Japan had plans of invading Midway Island. This allowed us to attack and destroy Japan's superior fleet. With this intelligence, it was said to have shortened the Pacific war by over one year.
The Information Assurance (IA) mission becomes more important every day as technology becomes more advanced. The Information Assurance (IA) mission is to make all government equipment that is used to send classified and sensitive information impenetrable so that no one can hack into them and steal viable information belonging to the United States. These two missions together promote a single goal: information superiority for America and its Allies.
To accomplish these two main missions the NSA has established four main goals to follow:
1. Deliver Responsive Signals Intelligence and Information Assurance for National Security under Any Circumstance.
2. Radically Improve the Production and Protection of Information.
3. Enhance an Expert Workforce to Meet Global Cryptologic Challenges.
4. Create and Integrate Business Management Capabilities Within the Enterprise and With Stakeholders.
The NSA also has one of the biggest research and