Becoming Proficient in the Use of Cyber Threat Intelligence

Cyber threat information is a multiplier for organizations that want to build and update their response and detection programs to deal with increasingly complex threats. The collection, classification, exploitation, and knowledge of opponents give the defenders the upper hand over them and force them to learn and develop with each further intrusion they are exposed to.

Cyber defenders need access to correlated threat information that shows the relationship between past attacks and the modus operandi of the threat actors they are fighting. With this information, they will be able to protect themselves from countermeasures motivated by intelligence.

There are three types of cyber threat information that defense teams provide to help organizations defend their networks.

Threat information is defined as evidence-based knowledge that can be used to make informed decisions about how to prioritize organizational responses to known or potential cyber-attacks. This includes the widespread use of technical data, tools, and policies to minimize the risks posed by cybersecurity threats.

Cyber Threat Intelligence Frameworks create intelligence to respond to cyberattacks, manage, detect and warn security professionals of potential threats. They provide action plans to mitigate cyberattacks by gathering the latest threat sources and information to build threat models. Unlike other standardized cybersecurity disciplines such as endpoint security, the definition and practice of threat information differ from organization to organization.

Cyber threat intelligence programs describe cyber threat activities in a way that enables an efficient exchange of information and threat analysis. They combine and view thousands of threat information in a single feed to provide consistent characterization and categorization of cyber threat events to identify trends and changes in cyber adversaries' activities. They support threat intelligence services in comparing feeds and internal telemetry to create alerts.

Due to the immediate and asymmetric nature of threats, it is essential to exchange real-time information on threats and related threat actors to prevent cyber-attacks and reduce risk exposure. Threat information based on flow-based solutions goes beyond basic status reporting. Optimize threat intel by adding more tactical intelligence to river-based detection.

The cost of cyber-threat information gaps can be measured in stolen data, fines, and system failures. A threat information platform that combines enriched flow data with packet tracking can pinpoint when bad actors arrive where they are, and when problems can be fixed.

As with any intelligence application, candidates must have an understanding of the practical applications of intelligence collection, analysis, and use. True threat detection occurs when threat data is analyzed by humans. A certified cyber intelligence analyst is required to create threat intelligence programs.

Demand for experienced and qualified cyber intelligence experts has never been so high. The US government, especially the Department of Defense, continues to invest heavily in expanding its cybersecurity workforce. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment of Information Security Analysts is anticipated to increase by 18 percent between 2014 and 2024, more than double the average for all occupations.

We work with security providers, end-users, and governments to develop better ways to create, share, and use information about cyber threats. We have spoken to many experts in the cybersecurity industry and they have some great advice for threat analysts on how to penetrate this growing field.

While technical training is increasingly being used to promote our security area, this does not apply to structured analysis training. For me, the Cyber Threat Intelligence Analyst Certification (CTIA) marks an important moment in our field as we begin to move from the art of cyber threat intelligence to the science of transforming our knowledge. In our complex and ever-changing threat landscape, analysts need to obtain CTIA certification not only for themselves but for everyone involved in intelligence generation.

Intelligence communication is an important set of strategic guidelines for technical, tactical, and operational cyber intelligence activities. It is essential to strengthen and develop information networks for the exchange of information on cyber intelligence services and to maintain direct relations with relevant institutional and private partners.

Threat Intelligence Experts provide the definitive course in cyber threat intelligence. It uses real-life war stories to hunt, analyze, and disrupt the world's worst cyber threats.

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