Cyber threat intelligence

Last updated April 30, 2024

Cyber threat intelligence (CTI) is knowledge, skills and experience-based information concerning the occurrence and assessment of both cyber and physical threats and threat actors that is intended to help mitigate potential attacks and harmful events occurring in cyberspace.^[1] Cyber threat intelligence sources include open source intelligence, social media intelligence, human Intelligence, technical intelligence, device log files, forensically acquired data or intelligence from the internet traffic and data derived for the deep and dark web.

In recent years, threat intelligence has become a crucial part of companies' cyber security strategy since it allows companies to be more proactive in their approach and determine which threats represent the greatest risks to a business. This puts companies on a more proactive front, actively trying to find their vulnerabilities and preventing hacks before they happen.^[2] This method is gaining importance in recent years since, as IBM estimates, the most common method companies are hack is via threat exploitation (47% of all attacks).^[3]

Threat vulnerabilities have risen in recent years also due to the COVID-19 pandemic and more people working from home - which makes companies' data more vulnerable. Due to the growing threats on one hand, and the growing sophistication needed for threat intelligence, many companies have opted in recent years to outsource their threat intelligence activities to a managed security provider (MSSP).^[4]

Process - intelligence cycle

The process of developing cyber threat intelligence is a circular and continuous process, known as the intelligence cycle, which is composed of five phases,^[5]^[6]^[7]^[8] carried out by intelligence teams to provide to leadership relevant and convenient intelligence to reduce danger and uncertainty.^[7]

The five phases are: 1) planning and direction; 2) collection; 3) processing; 4) analysis; 5) dissemination.^[5]^[6]^[7]^[8]

In planning and directing, the customer of the intelligence product requests intelligence on a specific topic or objective. Then, once directed by the client, the second phase begins, collection, which involves accessing the raw information that will be required to produce the finished intelligence product. Since information is not intelligence, it must be transformed and therefore must go through the processing and analysis phases: in the processing (or pre-analytical phase) the raw information is filtered and prepared for analysis through a series of techniques (decryption, language translation, data reduction, etc.); In the analysis phase, organized information is transformed into intelligence. Finally, the dissemination phase, in which the newly selected threat intelligence is sent to the various users for their use.^[6]^[8]

Types

There are three overarching, but not categorical - classes of cyber threat intelligence:^[1] 1) tactical; 2) operational; 3) strategic.^[1]^[5]^[8]^[9]^[10] These classes are fundamental to building a comprehensive threat assessment.^[5]

Tactical: Typically used to help identify threat actors. Indicators of compromise (such as IP addresses, Internet domains or hashes) are used and the analysis of tactics, techniques and procedures (TTP) used by cybercriminals is beginning to be deepened. Insights generated at the tactical level will help security teams predict upcoming attacks and identify them at the earliest possible stages.^[1]^[5]^[7]^[8]^[10]
Operational: This is the most technical level of threat intelligence. It shares hard and specific details about attacks, motivation, threat actor capabilities, and individual campaigns. Insights provided by threat intelligence experts at this level include the nature, intent, and timing of emerging threats. This type of information is more difficult to obtain and is most often collected through deep, obscure web forums that internal teams cannot access. Security and attack response teams are the ones that use this type of operational intelligence.^[1]^[5]^[8]^[10]
Strategic: Usually tailored to non-technical audiences, intelligence on general risks associated with cyberthreats. The goal is to deliver, in the form of white papers and reports, a detailed analysis of current and projected future risks to the business, as well as the potential consequences of threats to help leaders prioritize their responses.^[1]^[5]^[8]^[10]

Benefits of cyber threat intelligence

Cyber threat intelligence provides a number of benefits, which include:

Gives organizations, agencies or other entities, the ability to develop a proactive and robust cybersecurity posture and to bolster overall risk management and cyber security policies and responses.^[11]
Drives momentum toward a proactive cybersecurity posture that is predictive, not simply reactive after a cyber attack.^[2]
It provides context and insights about active attacks and potential threats to aid decision making.^[5]
It prevents data breaches from releasing sensitive information, thus preventing data loss.^[10]
Reduce costs. Since data breaches are costs, reducing the risk of data breaches helps save money.^[10]
It helps and provides instructions to institutions on how to implement security measures to protect against future attacks.^[10]
Enables sharing of knowledge, skills and experiences among the cyber security community of practice and systems stakeholders.^[10]
It helps to more easily and better identify risks and threats, as well as delivery mechanisms, indicators of compromise across the infrastructure, and potential specific actors and motivators.^[12]
Helps in the detection of attacks during and before these stages.^[12]
Provides indicators of actions taken during each stage of the attack.^[12]
Communicates threat surfaces, attack vectors and malicious activities directed to both information technology and operational technology platforms.
Serve as fact-based repository for evidence of both successful and unsuccessful cyber attacks.
Provide indicators for computer emergency response teams and incident response groups.

Key elements

There are three key elements that must be present for information or data to be considered threat intelligence:^[8]

Evidence-based: For any intelligence product to be useful, it must first be obtained through proper evidence-gathering methods. Through other processes, such as malware analysis, threat intelligence can be produced.
Utility: For threat intelligence to have a positive impact on the outcome of a security event, it must have some utility. Intelligence must provide clarity, in terms of context and data, about specific behaviours and methods.
Actionable: Action is the key element that separates information or data from threat intelligence. Intelligence must drive action.

Attribution

Cyber threats involve the use of computers, storage devices, software networks and cloud-based repositories. Prior to, during or after a cyber attack technical information about the information and operational technology, devices, network and computers between the attacker(s) and the victim(s) can be collected, stored and analyzed. However, identifying the person(s) behind an attack, their motivations, or the ultimate sponsor of the attack, - termed attribution is sometimes difficult. Recent ^{[ when? ]} efforts in threat intelligence emphasize understanding adversary TTPs.^[13]

A number of recent ^{[ when? ]} cyber threat intelligence analytical reports have been released by public and private sector organizations which attribute cyber attacks. This includes Mandiant's APT1 and APT28 reports,^[14]^[15] US CERT's APT29 report,^[16] and Symantec's Dragonfly, Waterbug Group and Seedworm reports.^[17]^[18]^[19]

CTI sharing

In 2015 U.S. government legislation in the form of the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act encouraged the sharing of CTI indicators between government and private organizations. This act required the U.S. federal government to facilitate and promote four CTI objectives:^[20]

Sharing of "classified and declassified cyber threat indicators in possession of the federal government with private entities, nonfederal government agencies, or state, tribal, or local governments";
Sharing of "unclassified indicators with the public";
Sharing of "information with entities under cybersecurity threats to prevent or mitigate adverse effects";
Sharing of "cybersecurity best practices with attention to the challenges faced by small businesses.

In 2016, the U.S. government agency National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) issued a publication (NIST SP 800-150) which further outlined the necessity for Cyber Threat Information Sharing as well as a framework for implementation.^[21]

Related Research Articles

Computer security, cybersecurity, digital security or information technology security is the protection of computer systems and networks from attacks by malicious actors that may result in unauthorized information disclosure, theft of, or damage to hardware, software, or data, as well as from the disruption or misdirection of the services they provide.

The SANS Institute is a private U.S. for-profit company founded in 1989 that specializes in information security, cybersecurity training, and selling certificates. Topics available for training include cyber and network defenses, penetration testing, incident response, digital forensics, and auditing. The information security courses are developed through a consensus process involving administrators, security managers, and information security professionals. The courses cover security fundamentals and technical aspects of information security. The institute has been recognized for its training programs and certification programs. Per 2021, SANS is the world’s largest cybersecurity research and training organization. SANS is an acronym for SysAdmin, Audit, Network, and Security.

The United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT) is an organization within the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). Specifically, US-CERT is a branch of the Office of Cybersecurity and Communications' (CS&C) National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center (NCCIC).

A cybersecurity regulation comprises directives that safeguard information technology and computer systems with the purpose of forcing companies and organizations to protect their systems and information from cyberattacks like viruses, worms, Trojan horses, phishing, denial of service (DOS) attacks, unauthorized access and control system attacks. While cybersecurity regulations aim to minimize cyber risks and enhance protection, the uncertainty arising from frequent changes or new regulations can significantly impact organizational response strategies.

In the U.S., critical infrastructure protection (CIP) is a concept that relates to the preparedness and response to serious incidents that involve the critical infrastructure of a region or the nation. The American Presidential directive PDD-63 of May 1998 set up a national program of "Critical Infrastructure Protection". In 2014 the NIST Cybersecurity Framework was published after further presidential directives.

The Department of Defense Cyber Crime Center (DC3) is designated as a Federal Cyber Center by National Security Presidential Directive 54/Homeland Security Presidential Directive 23, as a Department of Defense (DoD) Center Of Excellence for Digital and Multimedia (D/MM) forensics by DoD Directive 5505.13E, and serves as the operational focal point for the Defense Industrial Base (DIB) Cybersecurity program. DC3 operates as a Field Operating Agency (FOA) under the Inspector General of the Department of the Air Force.

Security information and event management (SIEM) is a field within the field of computer security, where software products and services combine security information management (SIM) and security event management (SEM). SIEM is the core component of any typical Security Operations Center (SOC), which is the centralized response team addressing security issues within an organization.

In computer security, a threat is a potential negative action or event facilitated by a vulnerability that results in an unwanted impact to a computer system or application.

Digital supply chain security refers to efforts to enhance cyber security within the supply chain. It is a subset of supply chain security and is focused on the management of cyber security requirements for information technology systems, software and networks, which are driven by threats such as cyber-terrorism, malware, data theft and the advanced persistent threat (APT). Typical supply chain cyber security activities for minimizing risks include buying only from trusted vendors, disconnecting critical machines from outside networks, and educating users on the threats and protective measures they can take.

The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team is an office within the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology of the Government of India. It is the nodal agency to deal with cyber security incidents. It strengthens security-related defence of the Indian Internet domain.

The Open Trusted Technology Provider Standard (O-TTPS) is a standard of The Open Group that has also been approved for publication as an Information Technology standard by the International Organization of Standardization and the International Electrotechnical Commission through ISO/IEC JTC 1 and is now also known as ISO/IEC 20243:2015. The standard consists of a set of guidelines, requirements, and recommendations that align with best practices for global supply chain security and the integrity of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) information and communication technology (ICT) products. It is currently in version 1.1. A Chinese translation has also been published.

Threat Intelligence Platform (TIP) is an emerging technology discipline that helps organizations aggregate, correlate, and analyze threat data from multiple sources in real time to support defensive actions. TIPs have evolved to address the growing amount of data generated by a variety of internal and external resources (such as system logs and threat intelligence feeds) and help security teams identify the threats that are relevant to their organization. By importing threat data from multiple sources and formats, correlating that data, and then exporting it into an organization’s existing security systems or ticketing systems, a TIP automates proactive threat management and mitigation. A true TIP differs from typical enterprise security products in that it is a system that can be programmed by outside developers, in particular, users of the platform. TIPs can also use APIs to gather data to generate configuration analysis, Whois information, reverse IP lookup, website content analysis, name servers, and SSL certificates.

Cyber threat hunting is a proactive cyber defence activity. It is "the process of proactively and iteratively searching through networks to detect and isolate advanced threats that evade existing security solutions." This is in contrast to traditional threat management measures, such as firewalls, intrusion detection systems (IDS), malware sandbox and SIEM systems, which typically involve an investigation of evidence-based data after there has been a warning of a potential threat.

Deception technology is a category of cyber security defense mechanisms that provide early warning of potential cyber security attacks and alert organizations of unauthorized activity. Deception technology products can detect, analyze, and defend against zero-day and advanced attacks, often in real time. They are automated, accurate, and provide insight into malicious activity within internal networks which may be unseen by other types of cyber defense. Deception technology enables a more proactive security posture by seeking to deceive an attacker, detect them and then defeat them.

In cybersecurity, cyber self-defense refers to self-defense against cyberattack. While it generally emphasizes active cybersecurity measures by computer users themselves, cyber self-defense is sometimes used to refer to the self-defense of organizations as a whole, such as corporate entities or entire nations. Surveillance self-defense is a variant of cyber self-defense and largely overlaps with it. Active and passive cybersecurity measures provide defenders with higher levels of cybersecurity, intrusion detection, incident handling and remediation capabilities. Various sectors and organizations are legally obligated to adhere to cyber security standards.

The Center for Internet Security (CIS) is a US 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, formed in October 2000. Its mission statement professes that the function of CIS is to " help people, businesses, and governments protect themselves against pervasive cyber threats."

Anomali Inc. is an American cybersecurity company that develops and provides threat intelligence products. In 2023, the company moved into providing security analytics powered by artificial intelligence (AI).

Internet security awareness or Cyber security awareness refers to how much end-users know about the cyber security threats their networks face, the risks they introduce and mitigating security best practices to guide their behavior. End users are considered the weakest link and the primary vulnerability within a network. Since end-users are a major vulnerability, technical means to improve security are not enough. Organizations could also seek to reduce the risk of the human element. This could be accomplished by providing security best practice guidance for end users' awareness of cyber security. Employees could be taught about common threats and how to avoid or mitigate them.

Extended detection and response (XDR) is a cybersecurity technology that monitors and mitigates cyber security threats.

Operational collaboration is a cyber resilience framework that leverages public-private partnerships to reduce the risk of cyber threats and the impact of cyberattacks on United States cyberspace. This operational collaboration framework for cyber is similar to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)'s National Preparedness System which is used to coordinate responses to natural disasters, terrorism, chemical and biological events in the physical world.

References

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1 2 CyberProof Inc. (n.d.). Managed Threat Intelligence. CyberProof. Retrieved on April 03, 2023 from https://www.cyberproof.com/cyber-101/managed-threat-intelligence/
↑ IBM (2022-02-23). "IBM Security X-Force Threat Intelligence Index". www.ibm.com. Retrieved 2022-05-29.
↑ "MSSP - What is a Managed Security Service Provider?". Check Point Software. Retrieved 2022-05-29.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "What is Cyber Threat Intelligence used for and how is it used?". blog.softtek.com. Retrieved 2023-04-12.
1 2 3 Phythian, Mark (2013). Understanding the Intelligence Cycle (PDF) (1st ed.). Routledge. pp. 17–23.
1 2 3 4 Kime, Brian (March 29, 2016). "Threat Intelligence: Planning and Direction". SANS Institute.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Gerard, Johansen (2020). Digital Forensics and Incident Response: Incident response techniques and procedures to respond to modern cyber threats (2nd ed.). Packt Publishing Ltd.
↑ Trifonov, Roumen; Nakov, Ognyan; Mladenov, Valeri (2018). "Artificial Intelligence in Cyber Threats Intelligence". 2018 International Conference on Intelligent and Innovative Computing Applications (ICONIC). IEEE. pp. 1–4. doi:10.1109/ICONIC.2018.8601235. ISBN 978-1-5386-6477-3. S2CID 57755206.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Kaspersky. (n.d.). What is threat intelligence? Definition and explanation. Retrieved on April 03, 2023 from https://www.kaspersky.com/resource-center/definitions/threat-intelligence
↑ Berndt, Anzel; Ophoff, Jacques (2020). "Exploring the Value of a Cyber Threat Intelligence Function in an Organization". In Drevin, Lynette; Von Solms, Suné; Theocharidou, Marianthi (eds.). Information Security Education. Information Security in Action. IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology. Vol. 579. Cham: Springer International Publishing. pp. 96–109. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-59291-2_7. ISBN 978-3-030-59291-2. S2CID 221766741.
1 2 3 Shackleford, D. (2015). Who’s Using Cyberthreat Intelligence and How?. SANS Institute. https://cdn-cybersecurity.att.com/docs/SANS-Cyber-Threat-Intelligence-Survey-2015.pdf
↑ Levi Gundert, How to Identify Threat Actor TTPs
↑ "APT1: Exposing One of China's Cyber Espionage Units | Mandiant" (PDF).
↑ "APT28: A Window Into Russia's Cyber Espionage Operations" (PDF). FireEye, Inc. 2014. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
↑ "Grizzly Steppe - Russian Malicious Cyber Activity" (PDF). NCCIC. 29 December 2016. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
↑ "Dragonfly: Western energy sector targeted by sophisticated attack group".
↑ "Waterbug: Espionage Group Rolls Out Brand-New Toolset in Attacks Against Governments".
↑ "Seedworm: Group Compromises Government Agencies, Oil & Gas, NGOs, Telecoms, and IT Firms".
↑ Burr, Richard (2015-10-28). "S.754 - 114th Congress (2015-2016): To improve cybersecurity in the United States through enhanced sharing of information about cybersecurity threats, and for other purposes". www.congress.gov. Retrieved 2021-06-09.
↑ Johnson, C.S.; Badger, M.L.; Waltermire, D.A.; Snyder, J.; Skorupka, C. (4 October 2016). "Guide to Cyber Threat Information Sharing". National Institute of Standards and Technology . doi: 10.6028/nist.sp.800-150 . Retrieved 3 December 2023.