Actors, antagonists and attacks - A study on the qualified IT threat

This report describes the conclusions from a wide ranging study on qualified IT threats which was conducted during 2003. The study was based on both theoretical and empirical analyses. The focus for the study report are so-called qualified antagonists and qualified IT attacks. The aim has been to reach beyond the normal "IT noise", that day to day reality which characterises normal IT operations and which is dealt with as part of daily IT operations. The study has tried to define and describe the IT threat, concentrating mainly on threats to national security, but also considering threats to wider national interests. In order to analyse qualified antagonists in an IT arena the study has developed a theoretical framework within which the various actors abilities to conduct a qualified IT attack can be evaluated. This framework is described in detail in the report. The report also describes three scenarios where a qualified IT related threat forms the hub of tactical operations. The aim of these scenarios is to define and characterise empirically how qualified IT related threats to national security might look in the near future.