IO threat

An IO threat (Information Operations threat) is an adversary that is organized, resourced, and politically sponsored/motivated to affect decision makers. Hackers, criminals and organized crime, insiders, industrial and economic espionage, and, in some cases, terrorism constitute a general threat to the protected information environment. This general threat requires monitoring for indications of a specific IO threat and subsequently may require additional defensive IO measures.

An IO threat should be defined in terms of a specific adversary’s intent, capability, and opportunity to adversely influence the elements of the friendly information environment critical to achieving objectives.

Source
Joint Chiefs of Staff, "Joint Doctrine for Information Operations" (Joint Pub. 3-13), at I-16 (Oct. 9, 1998).