After the October 1917 Revolution, a small group was produced for investigating threats to the Bolsheviki who had gained power and ousted the provisional government. This group of officials, the Cheka, was the first of numerous Soviet government agencies.

The Cheka - full name, All-Russian Extraordinary Commission for Combating Counter-Revolution and Sabotage - became the first secret service, although it was well known about, rather than secret. Lenin used this agency to consolidate his power, and this was the beginning of Russia's development of secret service - political police - who were to terrorise the population/ The Cheka became an all-encompassing apparatus for the suppression of internal opposition. Lenin was determined to quash any insurrection, or risk of coup or espionage.