Threat Intelligence is the process of collecting, analyzing, and disseminating information about cyber threats to improve security decision-making and incident response capabilities.

What is Threat Intelligence?

Threat Intelligence is processed and analyzed information about cyber threats that enables organizations to make informed security decisions, identify potential risks, and improve their security posture.

Threat Intelligence Types

Strategic Intelligence

  • Definition: High-level intelligence for executives
  • Audience: C-level, strategic managers
  • Content: Trends, strategic risks, threat landscape
  • Application: Strategic planning, budgets

Tactical Intelligence

  • Definition: Operational intelligence for security teams
  • Audience: Security teams, analysts
  • Content: TTPs, tools, attacker techniques
  • Application: Control configuration, detection

Operational Intelligence

  • Definition: Specific intelligence about campaigns and attacks
  • Audience: Incident response teams
  • Content: IOCs, specific campaigns, indicators
  • Application: Incident response, investigation

Technical Intelligence

  • Definition: Detailed technical intelligence
  • Audience: Technical analysts, researchers
  • Content: Malware, vulnerabilities, exploits
  • Application: Forensic analysis, technical investigation

Threat Intelligence Lifecycle

Phase 1: Planning and Direction

  • Requirements: Define intelligence requirements
  • Priority Setting: Set priorities
  • Resource Allocation: Allocate resources
  • Timeline Planning: Plan timeline

Phase 2: Collection

  • Source Identification: Identify sources
  • Data Collection: Collect data
  • Source Validation: Validate sources
  • Data Quality: Ensure data quality

Phase 3: Processing

  • Data Normalization: Normalize data
  • Data Enrichment: Enrich data
  • Data Correlation: Correlate data
  • Data Storage: Store data

Phase 4: Analysis

  • Pattern Analysis: Pattern analysis
  • Trend Analysis: Trend analysis
  • Threat Assessment: Threat assessment
  • Risk Analysis: Risk analysis

Phase 5: Dissemination

  • Report Generation: Generate reports
  • Alert Distribution: Distribute alerts
  • Stakeholder Communication: Communicate with stakeholders
  • Feedback Collection: Collect feedback

Phase 6: Evaluation

  • Effectiveness Assessment: Assess effectiveness
  • Process Improvement: Improve processes
  • Feedback Integration: Integrate feedback
  • Continuous Improvement: Continuous improvement

Threat Intelligence Sources

Open Sources (OSINT)

  • Public Sources: Public sources
  • Social Media: Social media
  • Forums: Security forums
  • Blogs: Security blogs
  • News: Security news

Commercial Sources

  • Vendor Feeds: Vendor feeds
  • Commercial Services: Commercial services
  • Threat Intelligence Platforms: Intelligence platforms
  • Managed Services: Managed services

Government Sources

  • Government Agencies: Government agencies
  • Law Enforcement: Law enforcement
  • Intelligence Agencies: Intelligence agencies
  • Public-Private Partnerships: Public-private partnerships

Community Sources

  • Information Sharing: Information sharing
  • Industry Groups: Industry groups
  • Professional Networks: Professional networks
  • Academic Research: Academic research

Indicators of Compromise (IOCs)

IOC Types

  • IP Addresses: IP addresses
  • Domain Names: Domain names
  • URLs: Malicious URLs
  • File Hashes: File hashes
  • Email Addresses: Email addresses
  • Registry Keys: Registry keys

Network IOCs

  • Network Traffic: Network traffic
  • DNS Queries: DNS queries
  • HTTP Headers: HTTP headers
  • Protocol Anomalies: Protocol anomalies

System IOCs

  • Process Names: Process names
  • Service Names: Service names
  • File Paths: File paths
  • Registry Entries: Registry entries

TTPs (Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures)

MITRE ATT&CK Framework

  • Tactics: Attacker tactics
  • Techniques: Specific techniques
  • Procedures: Detailed procedures
  • Software: Software used
  • Groups: Attacker groups

Main Tactics

  • Initial Access: Initial access
  • Execution: Execution
  • Persistence: Persistence
  • Privilege Escalation: Privilege escalation
  • Defense Evasion: Defense evasion

Common Techniques

  • Spearphishing: Spear phishing
  • Malware: Malicious software
  • Lateral Movement: Lateral movement
  • Data Exfiltration: Data exfiltration
  • Command and Control: Command and control

Threat Intelligence Tools

Intelligence Platforms

  • ThreatConnect: Intelligence platform
  • Anomali: Intelligence platform
  • Recorded Future: Intelligence platform
  • IBM X-Force: IBM platform

Analysis Tools

  • MISP: Information sharing platform
  • YARA: Rule engine
  • STIX/TAXII: Exchange standards
  • OpenCTI: Open source platform

Collection Tools

  • Shodan: Search engine
  • Censys: Search engine
  • VirusTotal: Malware analysis
  • Hybrid Analysis: Malware analysis

Use Cases

Detection and Response

  • Threat Detection: Threat detection
  • Incident Response: Incident response
  • Forensic Analysis: Forensic analysis
  • Malware Analysis: Malware analysis

Prevention

  • Threat Hunting: Threat hunting
  • Vulnerability Management: Vulnerability management
  • Security Controls: Security controls
  • Risk Assessment: Risk assessment

Compliance

  • Compliance Monitoring: Compliance monitoring
  • Audit Support: Audit support
  • Regulatory Reporting: Regulatory reporting
  • Risk Reporting: Risk reporting

Best Practices

Intelligence Management

  1. Requirements Definition: Clearly define requirements
  2. Source Diversity: Diversify sources
  3. Quality Assurance: Ensure quality
  4. Timeliness: Maintain currency
  5. Relevance: Maintain relevance

Analysis

  1. Context Awareness: Context awareness
  2. Pattern Recognition: Pattern recognition
  3. Correlation: Data correlation
  4. Validation: Information validation
  5. Documentation: Complete documentation

Dissemination

  1. Target Audience: Target audience
  2. Format Appropriateness: Appropriate format
  3. Timeliness: Timeliness
  4. Actionability: Actionability
  5. Feedback Loop: Feedback loop

Threat Intelligence Benefits

Operational

  • Faster Detection: Faster detection
  • Better Response: Better response
  • Reduced Impact: Reduced impact
  • Improved Recovery: Improved recovery

Strategic

  • Risk Reduction: Risk reduction
  • Better Planning: Better planning
  • Resource Optimization: Resource optimization
  • Competitive Advantage: Competitive advantage

Technical

  • Enhanced Detection: Enhanced detection
  • Better Controls: Better controls
  • Improved Monitoring: Improved monitoring
  • Faster Analysis: Faster analysis

References

Glossary

  • TTPs: Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures
  • IOCs: Indicators of Compromise
  • OSINT: Open Source Intelligence
  • STIX: Structured Threat Information Expression
  • TAXII: Trusted Automated Exchange of Indicator Information
  • MISP: Malware Information Sharing Platform
  • MITRE ATT&CK: MITRE Adversarial Tactics, Techniques, and Common Knowledge
  • YARA: Yet Another Recursive Acronym
  • SIEM: Security Information and Event Management
  • CVE: Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures
  • CVSS: Common Vulnerability Scoring System
  • OWASP: Open Web Application Security Project