2.6 Assessing and Communicating Nuclear Security Threats

This WINS International Best Practice Guide explains that every State is responsible for assessing the internal and external threats that it could potentially face.

To do so, the guide explains that relevant authorities within the State need to perform a national threat assessment based on an “all-hazards approach” that includes environmental and economic threats, as well as organised crime and terrorism.

This guide discusses what is involved in conducting a national threat assessment, as well as how States can establish and communicate the design basis threat (DBT). In addition, it recommends that operators and other local agencies be involved in the process of creating the DBT and explains how government agencies can communicate urgent threat information without compromising security.

Finally, the guide addresses operator responsibilities for helping to mitigate the threat and recommends the use of ISO standards to help manage the risk.