Intel IT developed a unique standardized threat agent library (TAL) that provides a consistent, up-to-date reference describing the human agents that pose threats to IT systems and other information assets. The TAL quickly helps risk managers identify accurately and understand the importance of relevant threat agents. The library consists of 22 standardized archetypes defined using eight common attributes; the archetypes represent external and internal threat agents ranging from industrial spies to untrained employees. The library is designed to overcome the lack of standard threat agent definitions and the problem that threat information is often fragmented and sensationalized.   This white paper discusses the process Intel used to develop the TAL, and also includes a current library of threat agents and their defining attributes.

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