Cyber Threat Intelligence (CTI): Definition, Types & Process

You may have heard of high-profile cyber attacks, like the SolarWinds breach. Unfortunately, these are just the tip of the iceberg, and they have exposed the vulnerabilities of even some of what we thought were the most secure organizations. To improve security, many companies are now turning to Cyber Threat Intelligence (CTI) for help anticipating, mitigating, and responding to myriad new cybersecurity threats.

The difficulty is that cyber threats are always evolving, similar to an arms race in wartime. Organizations must adopt proactive defences to keep pace or fall behind and expose their vulnerabilities.

Cyber Threat Intelligence uses raw data from hacks all over the internet to generate actionable insights into better defence, resulting in more active cybersecurity teams, executives, and IT professionals. The objective is to enhance an organization’s defences against cyber threats before they can cause serious damage.

What is Cyber Threat Intelligence (CTI)?

On one side, you have cybersecurity software that can block, quarantine and clean out cyber threats. This is like the different treatment options a doctor can provide. However, perhaps even an ample part of a doctor’s job is prevention. And that’s where Cyber Threat Intelligence (CTI) comes into play.

CTI creates a structured analysis of threat data and identifies the biggest risks a system has, given the latest adversaries and their most common attack patterns. By taking the raw data from logs all over the internet, data from dark web forums, analyzing malware, and using open-source intelligence (OSINT), CTI can better fortify a system’s cybersecurity and keep its state of the art.

Key Components of CTI

Data Sources: Logs, malware analysis, dark web monitoring, and OSINT.
Outputs: Tailored reports, alerts, and recommendations.
Purpose: Enable organizations to take preemptive action against threats.

Types of Cyber Threat Intelligence

Strategic CTI: Strategic intelligence focuses on high-level insights relevant to executives. It addresses high-level questions in a ‘briefing’ type format about the motives, geopolitical risks, and long-term trends of bad actors across the globe. Example: A report finding new ransomware trends impacting the finance sector.
Tactical CTI: Tactical intelligence delves into the specific tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) to compromise systems which are utilized by attackers. It gives insight into the key points of point, called Indicators of Compromise (IoCs), such as malicious IP addresses or phishing patterns. Example: Identifying a specific phishing email campaign targeting employees.
Operational CTI: Operational intelligence tracks real-time campaigns as they are happening and supports incident response teams by providing up-to-date insights on active threats so that everyone is prepared. Example: Monitoring the infrastructure of an advanced persistent threat (APT) group.
Technical CTI: Technical intelligence refers to useful data for cybersecurity programs to develop better defences, such as malware signatures to help create defences against that specific malware. Example: Using a phishing email’s fake sender address and malicious link to block similar emails.

The Cyber Threat Intelligence Process

Planning and Direction: The first step in CTI is figuring out what a business needs from it. Some require protecting sensitive customer data, others are protecting financial assets or their machines from malware. Defining the requirements upfront helps to focus the efforts and resources.
Collection: The data collection process is key. This is taken from internal logs, external threat feeds, the dark web, and partnerships with information brokers. There are many tools that help during this process, such as SIEM systems, honeypots, and APIs.
Analysis: Collected data is then processed using frameworks like MITRE ATT&CK. This step produces risk assessments and threat actor profiles, transforming the raw data into something usable for cybersecurity purposes.
Dissemination: The output of CTI then has to be rewritten for different audiences. Executives may receive strategic reports, while SOC teams require technical dashboards and alerts.
Feedback and Evaluation: CTI processes are iterative. You’ll want regular assessments of CTI’s impact on incident response times and adjustments to collection strategies over time.

Benefits of Cyber Threat Intelligence

Proactive Defense: Provides the ability to anticipate and prevent attacks through an early warning system.
Cost Efficiency: Minimize breach costs through faster means to stop successful attacks once they begin.
Regulatory Compliance: Align with regulations like GDPR and CCPA.
Collaboration: Foster intelligence sharing with industry peers, which improves security for everyone.

Challenges in Implementing CTI

Data Overload: Managing and filtering large volumes of data is not easy for most teams, and requires a high level of expertise.
Skill Gaps: There is a shortage of trained analysts who can interpret the data CTI provides effectively.
Integration Issues: Ensuring CTI aligns with existing tools like firewalls and EDR systems isn’t easy as these integrations are new to the field.
Ethical Concerns: Maintaining privacy during data collection is difficult.

Best Practices for Effective CTI

Align with Business Goals: Focus on the threats that are the biggest risks for your business.
Automate Collection: Leverage AI/ML to handle data at scale.
Collaborate: Join threat-sharing communities like MISP that help protect you from the latest threats.
Continuous Training: Update teams on evolving tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs).

Tools and Platforms for CTI

Commercial Options

ThreatConnect
Recorded Future
Palo Alto Cortex XSOAR

Open Source Tools

MISP (Malware Information Sharing Platform)
AlienVault OTX
MITRE ATT&CK Navigator

Analytics Platforms

IBM QRadar
Splunk ES

Real-World Examples of CTI in Action

Emotet Botnet: CTI efforts in 2021 were pivotal in identifying and neutralizing the resurgence of the Emotet botnet, which had re-emerged after seemingly being defeated years ago. Analysts used malware signature analysis and threat-sharing platforms like MISP to detect and block Emotet’s infection vectors, preventing widespread damage.
Nobelium (SolarWinds): In the aftermath of the SolarWinds attack, Microsoft’s CTI initiatives were the main means of disrupting Nobelium’s activities, without which, the damage could have been much worse. By tracking the group’s infrastructure and leveraging real-time intelligence, Microsoft safeguarded numerous organizations from further exploitation.
Financial Sector: Banks have increasingly relied on CTI to address credential-stuffing attacks, which involve using stolen credentials to gain unauthorized access to accounts. By analyzing IoCs and employing AI-driven anomaly detection systems, the financial sector has vastly improved its defences against such attacks.

The Future of Cyber Threat Intelligence

AI Integration: Predictive analytics are likely to improve zero-day threats.
Threat Intelligence-as-a-Service (TIaaS): Cloud-based CTI will make the service more accessible to small and medium-sized enterprises.
Regulatory Push: Governments may mandate threat-sharing in critical infrastructure sectors, improving everyone’s ability to protect themselves.

Conclusion

Cyber Threat Intelligence pushes cybersecurity from a merely reactive discipline to a proactive one, preparing for threats before they happen. By anticipating and mitigating threats, organizations can be much better prepared in this era of ever-evolving cyberattacks. As threats become more sophisticated, CTI is a major cornerstone of an effective cybersecurity strategy that is increasingly growing. Organizations of all sizes should consider adopting CTI for the safety of their data and systems.