Cyber Intelligence Tradecraft Project: Summary of Key Findings
• SEI Report
Publisher
Software Engineering Institute
Abstract
The Software Engineering Institute (SEI) Innovation Center at Carnegie Mellon University is studying the state of cyber intelligence across government, industry, and academia. This study, known as the Cyber Intelligence Tradecraft Project (CITP), seeks to advance the capabilities of organizations performing cyber intelligence by elaborating on best practices and prototyping solutions to shared challenges. Starting in June 2012, six government agencies and 20 organizations from industry and academia provided information on their cyber intelligence methodologies, technologies, processes, and training. This baseline data then was benchmarked against a cyber intelligence analytic framework consisting of five functions: environment, data gathering, functional analysis, strategic analysis, and stakeholder reporting and feedback. The aggregated results of the benchmarking led to the key findings presented in this document.
To learn more about this and other SEI Innovation Center programs, visit the SEI Emerging Technology Center web page.
Cite This SEI Report
Ludwick, M., McAllister, J., Mellinger, A., Ambrose, K., & Townsend, T. (2013, January 1). Cyber Intelligence Tradecraft Project: Summary of Key Findings. Retrieved August 15, 2026, from https://www.sei.cmu.edu/library/cyber-intelligence-tradecraft-project-summary-of-key-findings/.
@techreport{ludwick_2013,
author={Ludwick, Melissa and McAllister, Jay and Mellinger, Andrew and Ambrose, Kate and Townsend, Troy},
title={Cyber Intelligence Tradecraft Project: Summary of Key Findings},
month={Jan},
year={2013},
institution={Software Engineering Institute, Carnegie Mellon University},
url={https://www.sei.cmu.edu/library/cyber-intelligence-tradecraft-project-summary-of-key-findings/},
note={Accessed: 2026-Aug-15}
}
Ludwick, Melissa, Jay McAllister, Andrew Mellinger, Kate Ambrose, and Troy Townsend. "Cyber Intelligence Tradecraft Project: Summary of Key Findings." Software Engineering Institute, Carnegie Mellon University. Software Engineering Institute, January 1, 2013. https://www.sei.cmu.edu/library/cyber-intelligence-tradecraft-project-summary-of-key-findings/.
M. Ludwick, J. McAllister, A. Mellinger, K. Ambrose, and T. Townsend, "Cyber Intelligence Tradecraft Project: Summary of Key Findings," Software Engineering Institute, Carnegie Mellon University. Software Engineering Institute, 1-Jan-2013 [Online]. Available: https://www.sei.cmu.edu/library/cyber-intelligence-tradecraft-project-summary-of-key-findings/. [Accessed: 15-Aug-2026].
Ludwick, Melissa, Jay McAllister, Andrew Mellinger, Kate Ambrose, and Troy Townsend. "Cyber Intelligence Tradecraft Project: Summary of Key Findings." Software Engineering Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Software Engineering Institute, 1 Jan. 2013. https://www.sei.cmu.edu/library/cyber-intelligence-tradecraft-project-summary-of-key-findings/. Accessed 15 Aug. 2026.
Ludwick, Melissa; McAllister, Jay; Mellinger, Andrew; Ambrose, Kate; & Townsend, Troy. Cyber Intelligence Tradecraft Project: Summary of Key Findings. Software Engineering Institute. 2013. https://www.sei.cmu.edu/library/cyber-intelligence-tradecraft-project-summary-of-key-findings/