What Is Cyber Threat Intelligence & How It’s Used Today

The era in which we are living is a digital era, and cyber threats are very common these days.

From phishing emails to malicious ransomware attacks, individuals and organisations are always at risk. To defend against these cyber attacks, organisations need something more than just firewalls and antivirus software.

They are actually in need of Cyber Threat Intelligence(CTI)— a mighty tool that helps them to understand, detect, and respond to cyber threats effectively.

In simple words, cyber threat intelligence gives you the knowledge that is required to stay ahead of hackers and attackers. It helps organisations to understand who might attack them, how and why, so that they can prepare better and take proactive measures.

Why is Cyber Threat Intelligence Important?

In a world where cyber attacks are becoming more complex, CTI helps organisations to stay one step ahead of the attackers. Below is why CTI is important:

• Early warning system- It alerts you about possible attacks that might happen.
• Proactive defense- It helps organisations to take preventive measures instead of reacting after the damage is done.
• Informed decision making- It offers data-driven insights to improve the security strategies.
• Immediate response- Helps detect and check threats faster and more efficiently.
• Risk reduction- Reduces the impact and cost of cyber attacks.

Types of Cyber Threat Intelligence

Cyber threat intelligence is categorized into four main types, each serving a different criterion:

Strategic threat intelligence

• Audience- executives and senior decision makers
• Content – high-level reports about global trends or geopolitical risks, etc.
• Purpose- security planning and support long-term business.

Tactical threat intelligence

• Audience- security teams and analysts
• Content- tactics, techniques and procedure(TTPs) used by hackers or cyber attackers.
• Purpose- to understand the strategy of hackers and improve the defense mechanisms.

Operational threat intelligence

• Audience- Security operation center(SOC) teams.
• Content- details about ongoing attacks, such as malware types and phishing campaigns etc.
• Purpose- to enable a quick and effective response to the threats.

Technical threat intelligence

• Audience- network and system administrators.
• Content- technical indicators such as ip addresses, URLs and domains.
• Purpose- to block or detect malicious activities on the internet.

How is Cyber Threat Intelligence Used?

Organizations use cyber threat intelligence in various ways to boost their cybersecurity. Below are some applications-

• Threat detection and prevention- CTI helps to identify the potential attacks and threats early by the usage of IOCs and known attack patterns. The security systems can efficiently block malicious IP addresses, URLs or file hashes.
• Improved incident response- With CTI, the response teams are well aware of how to handle specific kinds of threats. They can investigate and revert back to the threats more efficiently and effectively.
• Vulnerability management- CTI helps in revealing which vulnerabilities are attacked by the hackers. This helps the security teams prioritise seeing the most critical issues first.
• Security awareness training- Knowledge about common phishing attacks or Social Engineering tricks can be used to educate the employees. This reduces the chances of falling for basic and common attacks.
• Third-party risk management- Organizations and companies can determine if their vendors or partners have been involved in recent threats. This ensures that the entire supply chain remains secure and protected.
• Support for law enforcement- Strategic CTI is sometimes shared with law enforcement agencies, which helps in tracking down cybercriminals and dismantling their operations.

What are the Advantages of Cyber Threat Intelligence?

Below are some major advantages that organisations can gain by using CTI:

• Faster threat identification and response.
• Efficient use of security resources.
• Reduced damage from the attacks.
• Stronger obedience to the rules and regulations.
• Improvement in overall security posture.

Challenges of Cyber Threat Intelligence

CTI is a powerful resource, but it also faces some key challenges which are as follows:

• Too much data- sorting through massive volumes of threat data can be overwhelming and dull.
• False positives- not all the detected threats are real; this can lead to a lot of wastage of time and hard work.
• Lack of skilled analysts- CTI requires skilled workers and trained professionals to detect threats.
• Integration issues- sometimes the CTI tools don’t work well with the existing security systems.

Overcoming these challenges requires planning, investment and the right team of trained professionals.

Conclusion

It is right to understand that in today’s time, Cyber Threat Security is no longer a luxury, it is a need for the organizations and companies who want to stay secure in today’s digital era. It empowers the companies to predict, prepare for and prevent cyber attacks rather than just reacting after the damage and destruction is done. By understanding and gaining the knowledge of what cyber threat intelligence is and how it is used, businesses and organisations can make smarter security decisions, prevent their data from being leaked or stolen and maintain the customers trust in them.

One should always remember that cybersecurity is a journey and not a destination. And CTI is one of the most powerful tools that can guide you on the right path.

Additional information- if you still feel the need to make your data, account detail,s and information more secure, you can always trust Cybersics. You can use our digital forensic services to trace a culprit or provide advanced training to your employees and keep yourself safe from hackers. Our services are 100% confidential,l and we ensure giving you receive training based on the latest technology.

For more details, contact our team.