Quick-Hitting Videos that Help You Visualize the CARVER Process
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Looking for short, insightful content on the CIA’s CARVER Target Analysis and Vulnerability Assessment Methodology?
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Join Luke “Coach CARVER” Bencie as he answers your most common questions about this time-tested system—breaking it down with process visuals and real-world context.
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These quick, engaging clips bring you into a classic “chalk talk” session with the coach, helping you visualize and better understand how CARVER can be applied in your world.
About "Coach CARVER"
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Luke Bencie, also known as Coach CARVER, has traveled and worked in over 130 countries, bringing his expertise in critical infrastructure assessment to some of the world’s most sensitive environments.
A globally recognized authority on the CARVER Methodology, he has trained thousands of students—from the Department of Defense and U.S. Special Operations Command to the Intelligence Community, Department of Justice, NATO, GCC nations, and more than two dozen Fortune 500 security departments. Luke is the author of three books on the CARVER Methodology and has contributed thought leadership to renowned publications including the Harvard Business Review, Foreign Affairs, and Business Insider. He continues to travel the world, sharing the strategic power of CARVER with leaders and organizations across industries.Â
CARVER Leadership
In this video, the coach explores how the traditional CARVER acronym can be reimagined to align with the principles of CARVER leadership. He explains that being a CARVER leader requires more than just strategic thinking—it calls for a balanced combination of ability, strong character, and genuine empathy.Â
"Leo's Laws"
Leo “The Godfather of CARVER” Labaj, a co-creator of the CARVER Target Analysis and Vulnerability Assessment Methodology, also left us with a set of guiding principles we call “Leo’s Laws.” While not as unbreakable as the laws of physics—think more along the lines of Murphy’s Laws—these rules serve as practical reminders to stay grounded in the fundamentals when conducting security assessments.
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Cognizant Security Strategy
Cognizant Security Strategy (CSS) is a proactive approach that empowers security professionals to strategically evaluate the value of both their assets and their teams. Rooted in the principles of the CARVER methodology, CSS provides a structured framework to help quantify results, prioritize actions, and make more informed decisions in an increasingly complex and dangerous world.
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CARVER Strategy
Strategy is one of the most misunderstood—and often underestimated—concepts across business, sports, geopolitics, and even personal relationships. CARVER strategy emphasizes the importance of understanding your “why” and aligning it with effective, efficient tactics. Unfortunately, many leaders default to tactical thinking, especially in times of crisis. In this video, the coach offers a clear and practical breakdown to help leaders approach strategy with greater clarity and purpose.Â
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Listing Your Components
One of the most critical questions security professionals can ask is, “What are we trying to protect?” Surprisingly, many never pause to consider—or take proper inventory of—the assets under their responsibility. Gaining a clear understanding of what falls within your purview, especially how those assets break down into individual components, is essential. This foundational step not only helps identify potential threats but also guides how you assess vulnerabilities and measure the effectiveness of your security systems.
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Spy Decision-Making
Let’s face it—spies think differently. It’s this unique mindset that allows them to take immense risks without (usually) getting caught. But these aren’t reckless gambles; they’re calculated moves. A skilled spy knows how to quickly assess their environment and make informed decisions. In this clip, the coach walks through a simple yet powerful Venn Diagram that illustrates how intelligence professionals evaluate risk, opportunity, and mission alignment in real time.Â
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Determining Risk
Determining risk lies at the heart of what security professionals and risk managers do every day. They identify vulnerabilities, assess threats from potential adversaries, and evaluate the severity of possible consequences. What’s left is the residual risk to the organization—often the most critical factor. In this video, the coach unpacks why such a vital concept is frequently overlooked or left to chance, exploring how hope, denial, and ignorance can dangerously substitute for proper risk assessment.Â
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CARVER Management
Being a strong manager requires more than just overseeing tasks—it means leading with guiding principles and strong character. CARVER offers a repeatable process that managers can use to stay focused on what truly matters: consistently supporting their people, providing training and resources, offering meaningful feedback, assessing performance, and refining strategic direction based on those insights. As Peter Drucker famously said, “What gets measured gets managed”—and CARVER helps ensure that nothing important goes unnoticed.
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The Threat Spectrum
As Leo “The Godfather of CARVER” Labaj tirelessly emphasized to his students, a threat assessment must be conducted either before—or at the very least, alongside—the vulnerability assessment. This means gaining a clear understanding of your adversaries: their capabilities, their intent, and their willingness to cause harm to you or your organization. It’s not a one-time exercise. Continuously monitoring the likelihood and potential impact of threats is essential to staying ahead and maintaining an effective security posture.
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CARVER for Sales
It’s a simple law of business: if you can’t sell, you can’t eat. One of the often-overlooked benefits of the CARVER methodology is its power as a tool for influence and persuasion. Beyond security assessments, CARVER can help you better understand your potential customer, gauge where they are in the buying cycle, and guide them toward an informed decision. By identifying their needs, concerns, and priorities, you can position your product or service more effectively—making CARVER a strategic asset in sales and communication.
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CARVER for HUMINT
While CARVER was originally developed as a targeting tool to identify the most effective points to inflict damage against an adversary, its principles can also be applied to a very different kind of target: people. In the world of intelligence, human intelligence—or HUMINT—relies on identifying individuals who may be susceptible to recruitment. CARVER excels at helping determine who might be most vulnerable, valuable, and accessible. In this clip, the coach shares key insights into how the methodology can be used to assess and select potential human assets with precision.
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Recoverability
Recoverability is one of the most misunderstood components of the CARVER acronym. Often thought of simply as the time it takes for an organization to bounce back after an attack, it can be challenging to accurately assess and score—especially when conducting both target analysis and vulnerability assessments. In this video, the coach breaks down this often-debated criterion and offers clarity on how to approach Recoverability within the CARVER matrix, making it easier to apply in real-world scenarios.
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