Which of the following is Step 2 in the 5 Step OPSEC Process?

• A. Identification of Critical Information
• B. Analysis of Threat
• C. Analysis of Vulnerabilities
• D. Application of Countermeasures

Answer: (B)

After pinpointing what information is critical to protect, the next move is to analyze threats to that information. This step asks who might target it, what their motives are, and what capabilities or methods they could use. Understanding the threat landscape helps you prioritize what actually needs protection and sets up how you’ll examine weaknesses later. For example, if the critical information is a sensitive schedule, potential threats could come from competitors, insiders, or cyber actors, and knowing who might target it and why shapes the kind of safeguards you implement later. This ordering matters because you first clarify what needs protection, then identify who could threaten it and how, before looking at where the weaknesses lie and how to counter them. The other steps involve identifying the information itself, examining vulnerabilities, and then applying countermeasures, which comes after you’ve mapped the threats.