SKW is a secret service responsible for the protection of the country against internal threats for the national defence, security and combat capacity of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Poland and other organisational units subordinate to or supervised by the Minister of National Defence. SKW is a public administration office governed by the Minister of the National Defence. SKW was established on 1 October 2006 pursuant to the Act on the Military Counterintelligence Service and the Military Intelligence Service of 9 June 2006.

The Head of SKW is a central authority of public administration and reports to the Minister of the State Defence, subject to the competences reserved for the President of the Council of Ministers or the Minister Coordinator of Secret Services, should he be appointed.

The activity of the Head of SKW is controlled by the Sejm.

(more information: see the Sejm website)