Which is the first of the nine integrated defense desired effects?

• A. Anticipate
• B. Delay
• C. Detect
• D. Warn

Answer: (A)

Anticipation starts the defense cycle because it’s about foreseeing what threats could do and how they might act. When you anticipate, you’re thinking ahead about potential attacker goals, likely attack vectors, and possible vulnerabilities in your system. That proactive mindset shapes everything that comes next—how you set up sensors and intelligence, where you pre-position defenses, and how you plan to respond.

If you only react to events, you’re playing catch-up. Anticipation gives you a head start, making detection more targeted and timely, which in turn makes warning more accurate and effective. It also informs how you implement delays to slow an adversary long enough to respond. In short, identifying what could happen first creates the conditions for all the following defensive effects, so anticipation is the first of the nine integrated defense desired effects.