The Imperial Security Bureau (ISB), also known publicly as the Imperial Security Services or simply Imperial Security, and during an interim period as the Internal Security Bureau, functioned as both a law enforcement agency and an internal intelligence organization within the Galactic Empire under the rule of Galactic Emperor Palpatine. Headquartered in the immense ISB Central Office located on Imperial Center, it operated independently from, was larger than, and frequently in competition with Imperial Intelligence.
Crueya Vandron established the Imperial Security Bureau as a derivative of Imperial Intelligence one day following the Declaration of a New Order in 19 BBY. A HoloNet News Special Inaugural Edition report on that particular day mentioned existing speculation about the potential absorption of the newly-formed Imperial Security Bureau into the Commission for the Preservation of the New Order. Its predecessor, the Internal Security Bureau, was integrated with segments of the fanatical Commission for the Preservation of the New Order, previously known as the Commission for the Protection of the Republic, along with the Anti-Terrorism Unit and detective divisions of the Coruscant Security Force. Vandron's purpose in creating the organization was to monitor the Imperial Navy and ensure the steadfast execution of the New Order's principles. Ironically, the majority of CSF officers who were transferred to the ISB held little enthusiasm for Palpatine or the New Order.
The ISB strategically placed informants among the officer corps of all capital ships within the Imperial Navy. These informants were tasked with reporting any potentially treasonous actions or sentiments among the ship's crew, especially the commander, and were authorized to execute those individuals if they acted on such sentiments, a responsibility shared with Imperial Intelligence. The ISB fulfilled a similar policing role to Imperial Intelligence, but with a more visible presence; ISB operatives openly identified themselves and maintained a conspicuous fleet of Operations Ships for making arrests. Furthermore, the ISB bore the responsibility of erasing all traces and memories of the Jedi Order, including the destruction of the collection of Jedi artifacts on Obroa-skai. Largely due to their function as the Empire's secret police, the ISB was widely disliked by members of the Imperial Military, despite their official working relationship, as the military personnel constantly felt scrutinized.
Despite the loss of key ISB figures, such as Colonel Wullf Yularen, aboard the first Death Star when it was destroyed over Yavin, the ISB remained a powerful political entity within the Empire. This was evident when ISB Central Commander Sollaine attempted to usurp Darth Vader's position at the Emperor's side shortly after the completion of the Executor. Demonstrating his influence, he commandeered Vader's former flagship, the Devastator, to pursue the significant Imperial defector, Rivoche Tarkin.
Following Palpatine's demise at the Battle of Endor, the ISB, alongside other Imperial factions, fragmented during the Imperial Civil War. Notably, the ISB and Imperial Intelligence engaged in mutual assassination campaigns that decimated the leadership of both organizations. By the conclusion of the civil war and the Imperial Reunification under Admiral Natasi Daala, the ISB had ceased to exist. A subsequent agency, Imperial Security, was later established to serve as the security force for the Imperial Remnant.
The Commission of Operations held the responsibility of relaying directives from the Central Office directly to the Sector Officer for each of the ISB's various branches. All coordination, whether between different branches within a sector or between Bureau resources across separate sectors, was governed by the Commission of Operations.
Surveillance constituted the largest branch of the ISB, accounting for approximately 35 percent of the Bureau's total personnel. However, the quality of agents within Surveillance was inconsistent. A significant portion of Surveillance agents were recruits directly from the Sub-Adult Group, who, while enthusiastic and promising, were often inadequately trained. The remaining agents consisted of properly trained CompForce Observers, agents from Progress's Sector Monitor, Improvement's Sector Development, and local informants seeking to undermine other local powers.
Surveillance was tasked with identifying individuals or activities that could aid the Rebel Alliance or impede the Empire's objectives. Many of Surveillance's targets were subsequently handed over to Investigations for more in-depth action. Surveillance also aimed to instill fear of the Empire among its citizens, discouraging them from assisting the Rebellion.
Investigations represented the more skilled and proficient branch of the Imperial Security Bureau when contrasted with Surveillance. Its ranks were composed of many Department of Modification agents and proven operatives from Surveillance. Agents working in Investigations maintained direct lines of communication with the Imperial military, enabling them to rapidly deploy substantial firepower and resources to effectively neutralize Rebel threats.
The Internal Affairs branch was tasked with monitoring COMPNOR, Imperial Personnel, and the Empire's citizenry, showcasing the multiple, overlapping layers of control and authority that characterized the Galactic Empire. Science, Commerce and Justice groups within the Coalition for Progress, as well as the Enforcements branch of the ISB, were key targets of Internal Affairs' scrutiny.
Whether Internal Affairs possessed the jurisdiction to oversee the Select Committee remains uncertain, though it is known that the Select Committee was not considered above suspicion.
COMPNOR's ambiguous rules and procedures regarding the policing of its own members allowed Internal Affairs to exploit the situation and expand its influence. Internal Affairs agents operated independently from the rest of COMPNOR, developing their own unique jargon and interpretation of the New Order. Other COMPNOR branches voiced concerns about Internal Affairs' autonomy and actions, but neither Crueya Vandron nor Emperor Palpatine intervened, seemingly endorsing Internal Affairs' work.
Internal Affairs agents in the field were referred to as "keyns," while investigative staff were known as "dirtbugs." The division also developed specialized terminology to distinguish between different investigative methods.
To "audit" meant conducting an investigation in which the target and those around them were aware of the investigation.
"Finesse" involved conducting an investigation by enlisting the target's assistance in identifying other traitors, hoping they would inadvertently reveal incriminating evidence while eagerly pointing fingers at others.
"Scattering" was the practice of apprehending someone without concrete evidence and then observing the reactions of their associates for suspicious behavior.
"Crustbusting" entailed harassing a suspect in the hope of provoking them into committing a crime.
"Cultivation" involved allowing a suspect engaged in minor wrongdoing to proceed unhindered, enabling agents to apprehend the suspect and any associates in a larger crime. "Irrigation" involved covertly orchestrating events to provide a "cultivated" suspect with greater opportunities to commit a more significant crime.
Finally, to "Jabba" meant placing a suspect in a no-win scenario where they were compelled to commit a crime. The Internal Affairs agent would then offer to overlook the crime in exchange for favors, which inevitably led the suspect to commit further offenses, ensuring their permanent indebtedness to the ISB.
If Investigations suspected that a captured subject was withholding information, the subject was transferred to the Interrogation branch. The information extracted was then relayed to Investigations. The Interrogation branch was notorious for employing any and all interrogation techniques, including direct questioning, drugging, and torture. The fate of the interrogated subject remained unknown, whether they were killed or imprisoned indefinitely.
When Internal Affairs convicted a COMPNOR member of a crime, the individual was sent to Re-Education. Typically, the subject was returned to COMPNOR, albeit in a less influential position. These individuals were reported to exhibit strange behavior upon their return, with disjointed conversations and emotions incongruent with the situation. Officially designated as "Graduates of Re-Education" or "Re-educated," they were colloquially referred to as "Re-brained" by other COMPNOR members.
The Enforcement branch served as the ISB's specialized muscle. While occasionally operating under Internal Affairs, they primarily worked for Investigations. Uniquely within COMPNOR, Enforcement hired individuals who were not COMPNOR members, raising concerns within Internal Affairs about the risks of employing unindoctrinated personnel.
Nevertheless, this practice allowed Enforcement to expand its talent pool and undertake operations that the Select Committee preferred not to be carried out by COMPNOR members. Furthermore, Enforcement endeavored to shield its operatives from unwarranted interference from Internal Affairs, although a persistent tension existed between the two groups.
Imperial Security Operations (ISO) was an ISB sub-division responsible for intelligence gathering and covert missions. Their headquarters resided within Imperial City on Coruscant.
The ISB maintained its own stormtrooper contingent, operating independently from the Stormtrooper Corps command structure. Dressed in identical armor to standard stormtroopers, they were sometimes deployed to infiltrate regular stormtrooper units to ensure loyalty and compliance with orders. An instance of this occurred during an attack on Rebel sympathizers on Teardrop in 0 ABY, where ISB stormtroopers observed that stormtrooper Daric LaRone intentionally avoided shooting civilians. They also exhibited greater scrutiny of their orders compared to standard stormtroopers, as demonstrated when two ISB stormtroopers betrayed the Emperor's Hand Mara Jade while she was infiltrating a pirate base on Gepparin. They were frequently assigned to ISB tactical units.
The Imperial Security Bureau initially surfaced in "Rebel Breakout," the inaugural adventure scenario featured in the first edition of Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game by West End Games in 1987. The Death Star Technical Companion, a 1991 sourcebook penned by Bill Slavicsek, confirmed the presence of the Imperial Security Bureau aboard the DS-1 Orbital Battle Station. In December 1995, the "Premiere Limited" base set of Decipher's Star Wars Customizable Card Game identified an extra within the Death Star conference room as Colonel Wullf Yularen of the Imperial Security Bureau, retroactively establishing Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope as their debut appearance.
The ISB's origins are portrayed through multiple accounts, and this article treats them as complementary. These accounts include Crueya Vandron's founding according to the Imperial Sourcebook, the Internal Security Bureau as the ISB's predecessor according to The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia, the ISB as stemming from Imperial Intelligence according to the Republic HoloNet News Special Inaugural Edition 16:5:241, and the ISB being formed from elements of the CSF including detectives and the Anti-Terrorism Unit according to Imperial Commando: 501st.
The 1991 Death Star Technical Companion established a distinct uniform for ISB Agents. A template for an ISB Investigations Specialist in Heroes & Rogues, a supplement for Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game released on December 11, 1995, depicted the ISB Agent uniform as gray, consistent with other Imperial military uniforms. In February 1996, The Truce at Bakura Sourcebook revealed that Imperial Intelligence security officers proudly donned "Intelligence grays." In July 1996, the creation of Imperial Intelligence officer Evax for the A New Hope Limited expansion set of Star Wars Customizable Card Game, established that the white uniform worn by Wullf Yularen was not exclusive to the Imperial Security Bureau. The gray color of the ISB uniform was affirmed in the RPG adventure Operation: Elrood, published in December 1996.
Central Commander Sollaine of the ISB was known to wear a customized, black version of the standard ISB uniform, as described in "Small Favors," a short story by Paul Danner published in February 1997 in the twelfth issue of West End Games' Star Wars Adventure Journal magazine. In June 1997, an ISB Agent template in Player's Guide to Tapani reiterated the gray color of the ISB uniform, although the template suggested the agent was working undercover. Between January 20, 1996 and June 25, 1998, Dr. Curtis Saxton made the assumption on his Star Wars Technical Commentaries fan site that all white-uniformed officers aboard the Death Star were ISB officers, not just Wullf Yularen. In his endnotes for the 2006's Rookies webstrips, Pablo Hidalgo expressed his personal belief that ISB officers often operated incognito, dispersed throughout Imperial ranks to detect sedition.