Definition(s)

Adversary

An individual, group, organization, or government that conducts or has the intent to conduct detrimental activities.

From: DHS Risk Lexicon

Source: NICCS™ Portal Cybersecurity Lexicon, National Initiative for Cybersecurity Careers and Studies (https://niccs.us-cert.gov/glossary) as of 11 November 2015, Global Standards

Adversary

Individual, group, organization, or government that conducts or has the intent to conduct detrimental activities

Sample Usage: Al-Qaeda is an adversary of the United States.

Annotation:

  1. An adversary can be hypothetical for the purposes of training, exercises, red teaming, and other activities.
  2. An adversary differs from a threat in that an adversary may have the intent, but not the capability, to conduct detrimental activities, while a threat possesses both intent and capability.

Source: DHS Risk Lexicon, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, 2010 Edition. September 2010 Regulatory Guidance

 

Canadian Standards Association

Any individual, group, organization, or government that conducts activities detrimental to an operator’s assets or has the intention and capability to conduct such activities.

Note: An adversary can include political and terrorist groups, criminals, disgruntled employees, and private interests; an adversary can also include site insiders, site outsiders, or the two acting in collusion.

(Source: Security Vulnerability Assessment Methodology for the Petroleum and Petrochemical Industries).

Source: Canadian Standards Association, Z246.1-09, Security management for petroleum and natural gas industry systems, August 2009, Regional Standards

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