Table of contents
- Threat intelligence: the new frontier of cyber security
- What is threat intelligence and why is it crucial
- The main categories
- How do threat intelligence platforms work
- The role of threat intelligence providers
- How threat intelligence contributes to incident response
- Challenges and future prospects of threat intelligence
Threat intelligence is one of the most advanced practices in the field of cyber security.
It is an approach based on collecting and analyzing data related to real or potential cyber threats, with the goal of identifying and preventing attacks against organizations.
Threat intelligence: the new frontier of cyber security
The growing complexity of the threat landscape, the risk context for businesses and governments, has led many to adopt specialized platforms, called threat intelligence platforms (TIP), to monitor and respond to threats in real time.
These tools allow for the collection of information about threat actors, cyber attackers with specific strategies, ranging from individual hackers to organized groups with geopolitical objectives.
What is threat intelligence and why is it crucial
In a world where cyber attacks multiply and become increasingly sophisticated, cyber threat intelligence represents a proactive response to protect corporate data and systems.
This discipline is based on collecting data from various sources, such as the dark web, social media, and open source intelligence (OSINT), and using it to identify risk signals and potential vulnerabilities.
The main task of threat intelligence is to analyze relevant information and translate it into threat intelligence feeds: constant data streams that keep the company updated on the latest threats.
These feeds support security teams in preventing and responding to incidents.
Adopting a threat intelligence strategy allows companies to reduce the number of false positives in security systems and manage key information like malicious IP addresses and indicators of compromise (IOC).
It is, therefore, a valuable resource for limiting attack damage and protecting digital infrastructure.
The main categories
Threat intelligence is divided into several categories, each addressing specific strategic and operational needs of businesses.
This division allows security teams to gain a detailed overview of threats based on the level of detail and the speed with which the information must be applied.
The main categories of threat intelligence are: strategic, tactical, operational, and technical.
Each offers a different approach in collecting and using information to best respond to threats.
Strategic threat intelligence
Provides a high-level view of the cyber threat landscape, with a long-term perspective.
This type of intelligence is designed to support corporate management and strategic decision-makers, offering information on emerging trends and risks of a geopolitical, economic, and social nature that can influence cyber security.
The sources for collecting strategic threat intelligence include detailed reports produced by threat intelligence providers, government documents, industry studies, and also aggregated data from open source intelligence (OSINT).
These reports allow for a better understanding of the evolution of the threat landscape and help define defense plans that anticipate future risk scenarios.
Strategic threat intelligence is thus a guide for planning security investments and defining long-term policies, aiming to strengthen business resilience against incoming threats.
Tactical threat intelligence
Focuses on the methods, techniques, and procedures (TTP) used by threat actors to penetrate corporate systems.
This level of intelligence focuses on indicators of compromission (IOC) such as suspicious IP addresses, malicious URLs, compromised file hashes, and malware signatures indicating ongoing or impending attack attempts.
Tactical intelligence is particularly useful for security teams and SOC analysts (Security Operations Center), who can use this information to monitor corporate systems and identify suspicious activity early on.
TIP (threat intelligence platforms) automatically aggregate IOC from various threat intelligence feeds and allow the blocking of IP addresses or files recognized as harmful.
Thanks to tactical intelligence, security teams can improve the detection of ongoing attacks and prevent large-scale compromises.
Operational threat intelligence
Provides more immediate and detailed information about active threat actors and their intentions.
This type of intelligence aims to identify attackers before they take action, providing real-time insights into how they operate, what type of attack they are planning, and who the target is.
Sources used to collect operational threat intelligence include the dark web, criminal forums, social media, and even intercepted conversations among cyber criminals.
Through this data collection, it is possible to understand the patterns and behavioral models of hackers or hacker groups.
Operational threat intelligence is often used for immediate interventions and to organize advanced defenses based on specific information about a pending attack.
The goal is to anticipate the attacker’s moves and act proactively to defend systems.
Technical threat intelligence
Provides details on specific tools and methods used by cyber criminals to exploit system vulnerabilities.
While tactical intelligence deals with IOC, technical intelligence offers detailed information on malware, exploits, and specific vulnerabilities.
It is particularly useful for professionals dealing with malware analysis and incident response teams.
Technical threat intelligence is often collected through advanced security tools, sandboxing systems, and other techniques that allow in-depth analysis of malware.
Thanks to this intelligence, security teams can understand how malware works, what modules it uses to infect systems, and how it spreads.
This information is essential for creating defense measures such as security patches, software updates, or system configurations that protect against identified vulnerabilities.
How do threat intelligence platforms work
A threat intelligence platform (TIP) is an integrated platform that collects, processes, and shares information about threats.
TIPs aggregate data from different sources and allow teams to analyze potential risks, identify threat actors, and assess the risk level associated with each threat.
These platforms automate the data collection process and produce usable information for both strategic analysis and incident response.
TIPs can combine internal and external threat intel, including data from open source intelligence, information from social media, and findings from the dark web.
This allows for a constant and up-to-date view of all threats and proactive action.
The role of threat intelligence providers
Threat intelligence providers are companies specializing in delivering cyber threat intelligence services.
They offer up-to-date data on threats and attackers, analyses of criminal behaviors, and insights into how to prevent intrusions.
Some of the best-known providers include companies like FireEye, CrowdStrike, and Recorded Future, which provide comprehensive solutions and updated threat intelligence feeds to help clients stay informed about potential attacks.
Relying on a threat intelligence provider allows access to data that a company could not obtain independently and to monitor both internal and external threats.
These providers play a fundamental role in improving cyber security strategies, reducing risks, and increasing response capabilities.
How threat intelligence contributes to incident response
Threat intelligence is also crucial for managing and responding to security incidents, known as incident response. When an attack occurs, a fast and effective response is essential to minimize damage.
By integrating with malware analysis tools and security tools, cyber threat intelligence helps security teams quickly identify IOC and the types of threats present, facilitating a timely and precise response.
The data collected by the threat intelligence platform supports the creation of emergency procedures and recovery plans for compromised systems, thereby increasing business resilience.
The ability to identify attacks and understand their motives and objectives is crucial for quickly restoring business operations.
Challenges and future prospects of threat intelligence
Despite progress in the field of threat intelligence, significant challenges remain. Collecting quality data and distinguishing between real threats and false positives require high expertise and advanced tools.
Moreover, the continuous evolution of attack techniques requires companies to adapt quickly and constantly update their threat intelligence platforms.
The future of cyber threat intelligence is therefore expected to be a growing sector, focusing on automation and artificial intelligence to improve data accuracy and response speed.
The challenge will be to make TIPs increasingly efficient and capable of integrating data from every corner of the web and corporate networks to offer comprehensive and proactive protection against attacks.
Questions and answers
- What does threat intelligence mean?
It is the collection and analysis of data on cyber threats to prevent them. - What is the difference between threat intelligence and cyber threat intelligence?
Cyber threat intelligence specifically focuses on cyber threats. - What is a threat intelligence platform?
It is a platform that collects, processes, and provides data on threats. - Why is a threat intelligence platform important?
It allows for real-time threat management and prevention, optimizing security. - What are the main types of threat intelligence?
Strategic, tactical, operational, and technical, each serving different purposes. - Who are the threat intelligence providers?
They are companies that provide data and analysis on threats to improve security. - What are indicators of compromise (IOC)?
They are signals indicating potential compromises in IT systems. - How does threat intelligence help incident response?
It provides data to respond quickly to attacks, minimizing damage. - What is the role of the dark web in threat intelligence?
It is a source of information on threats and attackers operating undercover. - How to distinguish real threats from false positives?
TIPs and security teams can reduce false positives through advanced filters and detailed analysis.
