Understanding Cyberthreat Intelligence for Enhanced Cybersecurity | Quality Digest

In today’s digital age, the question isn’t whether you’ll experience a cybersecurity attack, but rather when it will happen. Cybercriminals often strike when you least expect it, leading to devastating consequences for day-to-day operations. For some fortunate organizations, these attacks are thwarted, limiting further damage. However, many find themselves in a precarious position, faced with potentially extended downtimes ranging from days to months. This underscores the imperative for early detection of malicious activities, predictions about impending threats, and the implementation of preventive measures. Enter cyberthreat intelligence (CTI) — a key player in bolstering an organization’s defense strategy.

Cyberthreat intelligence is not just a buzzword; it is a vital component of a robust information security framework. Modern organizations are increasingly recognizing its worth, and many are planning to ramp up investments in threat intelligence in the coming years. However, there is a significant gap between understanding the value of CTI and effectively leveraging it for operational benefits.

Most organizations limit themselves to basic forms of threat intelligence—think threat data feeds, intrusion prevention systems (IPS), and firewalls—but fail to exploit the full spectrum of what actionable intelligence can offer. When adequately harnessed, CTI opens a world of opportunities, and here’s how.

What is CTI?

Cyberthreat intelligence transforms raw cyberthreat information into actionable insights. This process involves collecting extensive data about current cybersecurity threats and trends, which is then analyzed using advanced algorithms. Cyberthreat analysts sift through this wealth of information to derive actionable intelligence that helps organizations detect and prepare for potential threats more effectively.

The culmination of this effort is an intelligence report—distributed across departments—that aims to mitigate attacks by illuminating the modus operandi of threat actors. Simply put, the value of CTI lies in its ability to enhance an organization’s capacity to minimize cyber risks, manage threats effectively, and reintegrate insights back into security measures safeguarding their attack surfaces.

How does CTI work?

In addition to identifying vulnerabilities in software and hardware, CTI reports include indicators detailing the tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTP) employed by cybercriminals. Traditionally associated with military terminology, TTPs are crucial in the cybersecurity landscape, elucidating how attacks are orchestrated and executed.

• Tactics: This defines the cybercriminal’s objectives and the overarching strategies to gain access to systems and sensitive data—common methods include social engineering or physical infiltration.
• Techniques: This component details the methods employed during the attack, such as phishing schemes involving email attachments.
• Procedures: Here, the granular steps of executing an attack are outlined, which often leads to constructing a comprehensive attacker profile. For instance, scanning a website for vulnerabilities, forming SQL queries with malicious code, and exploiting unsecured forms to take control of the server fall into this category.

Who needs CTI?

The brief answer? Everyone. Cyberthreat intelligence is essential for anyone with a vested interest in an organization’s cybersecurity posture. Although CTI is adaptable to various audiences, threat intelligence teams typically collaborate closely with Security Operation Centers (SOCs), which are responsible for the daily monitoring and safeguarding of business operations.

Research shows that the benefits of CTI extend to all levels of government, from security officers and police chiefs to IT professionals and law enforcement. The ripple effects of CTI also reach a broad array of professionals, including IT managers, accountants, and criminal analysts.

The CTI life cycle

The generation of CTI follows a cyclical process referred to as the “intelligence cycle.” This five-stage cycle involves planning, implementing, and assessing data collection; analyzing results for actionable insights; and subsequently disseminating information while reevaluating it against new data and user feedback. The iterative nature of this process ensures that gaps in the intelligence provided are identified, thereby prompting new collection requirements and reinvigorating the cycle.

Three types of CTI

CTI is broadly categorized into three types to cater to an organization’s varied intelligence needs, ranging from lower-level information on malware variants to high-level insights designed for strategic policy formation.

• Strategic intelligence: This encompasses an extensive overview of evolving threats and tactics, generated on demand to aid high-level decision-making.
• Operational intelligence: Focused more narrowly on adversarial capabilities and infrastructure, this form requires human analysis to translate raw data into actionable insights for targeted cybersecurity operations.
• Tactical intelligence: This genre revolves around high-level trends and adversary motives, providing necessary support for tactical security decisions. The collection of tactical intelligence can often be automated for efficiency.

These categories of CTI are aligned with the revised ISO/IEC 27002, which aims to aid organizations in gathering and analyzing information pertinent to cybersecurity threats. The significance of this control cannot be overstated; it standardizes the need for threat intelligence, thereby equipping organizations to inform their security strategies more effectively and undertake appropriate mitigation efforts.

Integrated intelligence for your organization

To maximize the benefits derived from CTI, organizations require a robust solutions framework that facilitates seamless consumption, actionable insights, and effective responsiveness to evolving threats. Enter the advanced threat intelligence platform (TIP)—a tool designed to streamline the threat investigation process, deliver actionable intelligence, and furnish deeper insights into the global threat landscape. With such automation in play, cybersecurity teams can devote more time to analyzing threats that are most pertinent to their operations.

When selecting a CTI platform, look for features such as:

• Multisource data correlation—ability to merge internal and external data sources for comprehensive visibility into threats.
• Automated analysis and triage—elimination of redundant, low-quality data.
• Data-sharing capabilities—ensuring that intelligence is disseminated throughout an organization’s security apparatus.
• Automation features—accelerating the analysis and application of threat intelligence.
• Actionable insights—providing clear, hands-on strategies for protection against identified threats.

What’s next for CTI?

As cybersecurity teams navigate the overwhelming volume of incoming threat data, from websites, applications, back-office systems, and user accounts, the demand for an integrated solution becomes ever more pressing. A sophisticated CTI platform not only streamlines the intelligence-gathering process but also empowers teams to continuously reevaluate their priorities within their unique context. This agility allows for swift adaptations in defense strategies, thereby enhancing the overall cybersecurity posture.

Investing in comprehensive security measures for your digital assets goes beyond mere compliance or risk mitigation; it yields significant cost savings and elevates incident response capabilities. Ultimately, the peace of mind those measures afford is invaluable.

Published by ISO.