The CIA Guide to Clandestine Operations Covert operations are an intelligence operation that is carried clandestinely and, often, outside of official channels. Covert operations aim to fulfill their mission objectives without any parties knowing who sponsored or carried out the operation. Clandestine Activity is surreptitious or secret activity undertaken by professional organizations on behalf of governments or conspiratorial groups only when overt means are inadequate or not possible to acquire such information. Since the early 1970's, the CIA, for various reasons, has become a risk adverse...