What is espionage primarily associated with?

Espionage is primarily associated with the illegal act of obtaining classified national security information. This practice often involves secretive and deceptive methods to acquire sensitive data, including documents, communications, and other forms of intelligence that are vital to a nation's security interests. It typically aims to gain tactical or strategic advantages over adversaries, which is why it is closely linked with national security agencies and is illegal under both domestic and international law.

While options like interfering with government operations, promoting civil disturbance, and sabotaging government facilities may have their own contexts and motivations, they do not capture the essence of espionage, which centers fundamentally around the clandestine acquisition of confidential information for intelligence purposes.