Added Value in Cyber Intelligence Analysis Education: Evidence from a Quasi-Experimental Study

As cyber threats diversify and affect social, political, and economic sectors, cyber intelligence analysis has become central to intelligence and national security organizations and communities, making future analysts’ education and training integral to operational missions. This study empirically examines the impact of an educational intervention on the core competencies of future cyber intelligence analysts. A quasi-experimental research design was employed, comprising a control group and repeated measurements at three stages: pre-intervention, post-intervention, and follow-up. Data were analyzed using ANCOVA, Holm–Bonferroni-adjusted post-hoc comparisons, repeated-measures ANOVA, and the Kruskal–Wallis test. The findings indicate that the experimental groups exposed to the cyber intelligence analysis educational intervention obtained, on average, statistically significantly higher post-intervention scores than the control group. In addition, six months after completion of the cyber intelligence analysis educational intervention, the groups exposed to the intervention maintained higher levels of competence relative to their pre-intervention scores. The findings support the relevance of structured educational interventions for developing cyber intelligence analysis competencies among future analysts. Building on this evidence, such programs should be continuously refined and validated through engagement with intelligence and security organizations and professional communities in order to maximize their applicability.