Denmark, the Faroe Islands and Greenland are open democracies with strong institutions and significant international involvement. This makes Danish, Faroese and Greenlandic public authorities attractive targets in respect of the intelligence and interference activities of foreign states.
A protected public authority protects information, decision-making processes and functions of critical importance to society from exploitation or disruption that may harm the Kingdom of Denmark, Danish citizens or trust in democratic institutions.
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PET assesses that foreign states have a permanently high interest in Danish, Faroese and Greenlandic public authorities. This is due to:
- The roles of Denmark, the Faroe Islands and Greenland in NATO, EU, UN and the Arctic Council
- The access to classified and sensitive information of public authorities
- The participation in foreign, security, and defence policy decisions of the Kingdom of Denmark
- Denmark’s support for allied and international sanctions
Foreign states and their intelligence services continuously work on procuring information from Danish public authorities that they can use to promote their own political, economic and military interests. These efforts are for instance made through espionage and foreign interference.
Read more in Assessment of the espionage threat to Denmark, the Faroe Islands and Greenland
The threat is not solely aimed at the government and senior government officials. The following Danish actors and functions are subject to particularly high risk:
- Government, Parliament and Civil Service
- Security, emergency management and intelligence authorities
- The Danish Armed Forces and total defence
- Public authorities and representations abroad
- Public authorities with responsibility for critical infrastructure
Vulnerability is exacerbated by international partnerships, complex networks, digitization and dependence on external suppliers.
Read more about Danish, Faroese and Greenlandic public authorities (original text)
Foreign states and their intelligence services use a broad range of methods to procure information and exert influence, including:
- Espionage through elicitation and recruitment of sources
- Interception of telecommunications and data traffic
- Cyberespionage
- Interference activities aimed at decision-makers and the public debate
Foreign intelligence services are skilled in covert operations and the use of grey zones. It may therefore be difficult to establish whether you are the target of foreign state intelligence activities.
Read more about how foreign states and their intelligence services operate
A number of Danish public authorities contribute to protecting public institutions and can assist you in your security efforts:
- Danish Resilience Agency
- Danish Emergency Management Agency
- Danish National Police, and
- Danish Defence Intelligence Service (DDIS)
Specific security incidents should be reported to the security officer of your relevant authority, who can assess the need for further processing and contact to PET.