The CARVER Target Analysis and Vulnerability Assessment Methodology: A Practical Guide for Evaluating Security Vulnerabilities

The CARVER Target Analysis and Vulnerability Assessment Methodology is a system that uses specific procedures, both qualitative and quantitative in nature, to interpret and determine the Probability of Attack from an adversary againstcritical assets and/or key resources. Originally developed by the Office of Strategic Services, the precursor to the Central Intelligence Agency, during World War II, CARVER was an offensive targeting tool used to determine where bomber pilots should most effectively drop their munitions on enemy targets.In 1976, CIA Officer Leo Labaj and his team of sabotage experts in the Special Activities Branch, were tasked to develop a methodology that could identify vulnerabilities in an infrastructure system, for both offensive and defensive purposes. This process became known as the Defense Against Terrorism Survey. Using a scoring system based on the likelihood vs. impact ofan attack, the modern-day CARVER matrix was born.