Threat Intelligence Sharing

Goran Lepan

Blog

22 June 2021

Cyber attacks and data breaches have been commonplace in the news headlines for some time now. Although a warning from the media is certainly helpful, there is so much more that can be done when it comes to threat intelligence sharing. Threat intelligence sharing is an important part of the global cybersecurity community effort to tackle cybercrime and should form a part of every organisation’s cybersecurity strategy. Sharing cyber threat intelligence enables organisations to make informed decisions about their cybersecurity, building more effective and robust cyber defences.

What is Threat Intelligence Sharing?

Digital technologies, founded upon data, form a core part of every industry. They allow us to work faster and smarter and to stay connected at all times. However, these technologies have also created risk as cybercriminals try to take advantage of weaknesses in our systems, processes, and people.

Threat intelligence sharing comes from the idea that knowledge is power and gives businesses an opportunity to prevent or mitigate the risk of cyberattacks across a range of attack vectors. Threat intelligence focuses on the shared knowledge of analysis and collection of information about previous, potential, and existing threats. The evidence-based approach provides the context of who is attacking, their motivations and capabilities, indicators of compromise to look out for, and action-oriented advice. As a proactive security measure, threat intelligence sharing enables businesses to gain an in-depth understanding of the threats they face, improve their security posture, and prevent potential breaches all while sharing this intelligence data across systems previously not possible.

Classifying Threat Intelligence

Threat intelligence can be broken down into three main categories that organisations can use to improve their security posture. Each category represents a different type of threat information that can be applied to improve security operations:

• Strategic – a broader non-technical view of the threat landscape. Strategic intelligence is delivered through reports and briefings with a view to informing high-level decision-makers. It should provide insight into the risks of specific actions, patterns in attacks and targets, and geopolitical trends.
• Tactical – a more in-depth report of the tactics, techniques, and procedures being used by threat actors. Tactical intelligence is created for security professionals and aims to help businesses understand how they might be attacked and the best way to defend against those attacks.
• Operational – a technical account of specific attacks and campaigns. Operational intelligence gives specialised insights that can help incident response teams understand the nature, intent, and timing of a specific attack.
   

Why is Threat Intelligence Sharing Important?

Cybersecurity faces many challenges, not least because cybercriminals use increasingly sophisticated and evolving techniques and tactics to evade defences. This is where threat intelligence sharing comes into play, helping organisations stay informed about the threats they are most vulnerable to and understand how to take action against them. Some of the key benefits include:

• Improves incident response planning – knowing from experience how attacks unfold and how best to react is vital for quick response and damage limitation.
• Reduces overall expenses – the cost of detecting and preventing data breaches is directly linked to how quickly businesses react to security incidents.
• Promotes collaboration among peers – by pooling knowledge, organisations and industry experts can spot emerging threats faster and search for solutions.
• Boost’s security posture – by fostering collaboration, improving incident response planning, and reducing costs, sharing cyber threat intelligence greatly improves an organisation’s security posture.
   

Could Your Business Benefit from Threat Intelligence Sharing?

Threat intelligence sharing is one of the strongest weapons we can use in cybersecurity and can add value across security functions for organisations of all sizes. It helps you to understand, prepare for, and mitigate the risks of some of the most sophisticated and persistent attacks. Furthermore, it integrates with existing security solutions to help your business prioritise the most important vulnerabilities.

At InfoTrust, we have partnered with CrowdStrike to make predictive security a reality. CrowdStrike Falcon X allows you to effectively respond to threats with instant analysis available in full threat intelligence reports. Contact us today to request a demo.

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