The lack of large-scale terror attacks in the US and Australia show security services are doing a good job, a US private sector intelligence group says.
Terrorist group Islamic State's call to adherents to conduct "lone wolf" attacks was a response to police pressure and an admission of weakness.
In an analysis of "lone wolf" terrorism, Stratfor security analyst Scott Stewart says organised terror groups are more effective at mounting large attacks as they contained skilled operatives.
But they were also more likely to attract attention of counter-terrorism services.
"Judging from the lack of such attacks, at least in North America and Australia, they are doing a good job," Mr Stewart said.
Terror leaders have now urged supporters to conduct "lone wolf" attacks but that was an admission that they were incapable of conducting attacks themselves.
Most "lone wolf" attacks are very effective but some are, such as that by Norwegian fascist Anders Breivik, who killed 77 people in 2011, and the Islamist who drove a truck into a crowd in Nice, France on July 14, killing 84.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has now asked counter-terrorism adviser Greg Moriarty for ideas on how to prevent such attacks.
"What we're seeing at the moment is people being radicalised or adopting murderous Islamist ideology very, very quickly," he said on Friday.
Mr Stewart said the attraction for terror groups was that "lone wolf" attackers could operate under the radar of intelligence services.
But that came at a steep price, with untrained operatives vulnerable to detection as they planned attacks. In the US, plots have been thwarted in sting operations as inexperienced terrorists sought help to acquire weapons and explosives.
Mr Stewart said there were a limited number of dedicated counter-terrorism officers and that highlighted the importance of "grassroots defenders".
That's police going about their everyday activities. It's also alert citizens reporting suspicious conduct. Based on sheer numbers, both are more likely to encounter grassroots terrorists than officers of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation.
The Australian government has recognised this with the "be alert not alarmed" and similar campaigns and the national security hotline.
"Grassroots defenders are an indispensable tool in the struggle against grassroots terrorists of all ideological stripes," Mr Stewart said.
