▁Act rix ▁( m oth ), ▁a ▁genus ▁of ▁moth s <0x0A> </s> ▁National ▁security ▁or ▁national ▁defense ▁is ▁the ▁security ▁and ▁defense ▁of ▁a ▁nation ▁state , ▁including ▁its ▁citizens , ▁economy , ▁and ▁institutions , ▁which ▁is ▁regarded ▁as ▁a ▁duty ▁of ▁government . ▁ ▁Origin ally ▁conce ived ▁as ▁protection ▁against ▁military ▁attack , ▁national ▁security ▁is ▁now ▁widely ▁understood ▁to ▁include ▁also ▁non - mil it ary ▁dimensions , ▁including ▁the ▁security ▁from ▁terror ism , ▁minim ization ▁of ▁crime , ▁economic ▁security , ▁energy ▁security , ▁environmental ▁security , ▁food ▁security , ▁cy ber - security ▁etc . ▁Similarly , ▁national ▁security ▁ris ks ▁include , ▁in ▁addition ▁to ▁the ▁actions ▁of ▁other ▁nation ▁states , ▁action ▁by ▁violent ▁non - state ▁actors , ▁by ▁n arc otic ▁cart els , ▁and ▁by ▁mult in ational ▁corpor ations , ▁and ▁also ▁the ▁effects ▁of ▁natural ▁dis aster s . ▁ ▁Govern ments ▁rely ▁on ▁a ▁range ▁of ▁measures , ▁including ▁political , ▁economic , ▁and ▁military ▁power , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁diplom acy , ▁to ▁saf egu ard ▁the ▁security ▁of ▁a ▁nation - state . ▁They ▁may ▁also ▁act ▁to ▁build ▁the ▁conditions ▁of ▁security ▁region ally ▁and ▁intern ation ally ▁by ▁reducing ▁trans n ational ▁causes ▁of ▁in security , ▁such ▁as ▁climate ▁change , ▁economic ▁inequality , ▁political ▁ex clusion , ▁and ▁nuclear ▁pro l ifer ation . ▁ ▁De fin itions ▁ ▁The ▁concept ▁of ▁national ▁security ▁remains ▁ambigu ous , ▁having ▁evol ved