James Bond may be a member of MI6, but another British spy agency has also been working in the wings.
GCHQ is probably the least known of the security agencies, but it plays a vital role in keeping us safe.
Here’s everything you need to know.
What is GCHQ?
GCHQ is the Government Communications Headquarters, although most people know it by its initials.
It is one of the three UK Intelligence and Security Agencies, along with MI5 and the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6).
The Government says: “GCHQ protects the UK and its citizens from individuals, groups and countries who wish to do us harm, or damage us financially.
“GCHQ intelligence keeps our deployed forces safe, and helps law enforcement agencies to prevent terrorist activity and serious and organised crime.
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“GCHQ has to tackle a range of difficult challenges and the diversity of our staff reflects this.
“We have analysts to produce intelligence reports, specialist mathematicians, linguists, and a large number of technical staff.
“We believe we are one of the number one places for the very best technical and maths specialists in the UK to work.”
It has headquarters in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, as well as smaller sites in Cornwall, North Yorkshire and Manchester.
The head is Sir Jeremy Fleming.
Why is it so secretive?
Like many security agencies GCHQ primarily works in secret.
The website says this is because “the threats we face are devised in secret so the methods used to combat them must also be developed in secret.
“Failing to do so could place the lives of UK citizens at home and abroad in increased danger.
“GCHQ does not comment on the accuracy of reports of intelligence operations or capabilities. To do so would give vital information to terrorists, criminals and foreign intelligence services.
“Yes we are a secret intelligence agency, but we are committed to being as open as we can be, in line with the Government’s openness policy. We have had a website since 1997 and strive to publish as much information as possible without compromising security.
“GCHQ has a long history of co-operation with the Security Service (also known as MI5) and the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6).
“Where GCHQ specialises in gaining intelligence from communications, MI5 and MI6 both deal with human intelligence. MI5 focuses their efforts within the UK and MI6 focuses on gathering intelligence outside the UK.”
But why is it in the press now?
In a rare public address during a visit to Australia, the head of GCHQ commented on the situation in Ukraine.
Speaking at the Australian National University in Canberra, Sir Jeremy said western allies were making “deeply secret intelligence” public to get ahead of Mr Putin’s information war, while also tackling cyber threats.
He said Vladimir Putin had “massively misjudged the situation”.
And he warned China not to become “too closely aligned” with the Kremlin.
He said: “It’s clear he misjudged the resistance of the Ukrainian people.
“He underestimated the strength of the coalition his actions would galvanise. He under-played the economic consequences of the sanctions regime. He over-estimated the abilities of his military to secure a rapid victory.
“We’ve seen Russian soldiers – short of weapons and morale – refusing to carry out orders, sabotaging their own equipment and even accidentally shooting down their own aircraft.
“And even though we believe Putin’s advisers are afraid to tell him the truth, what’s going on and the extent of these misjudgements must be crystal clear to the regime.”
He added: “It’s become his personal war, with the cost being paid by innocent people in Ukraine and increasingly, by ordinary Russians too.”
On China, he said the country’s long-term interests are not well served by an alliance with a leader that “wilfully and illegally” ignores the international “rules of the road”.