A Threat Intelligence Platform (TIP) is a technological solution that gathers, consolidates, and arranges threat intelligence information from various sources and formats.
A TIP offers security teams data on recognized malware and various threats, enabling effective and precise threat detection, examination, and reaction.
It allows threat analysts to focus on analyzing and identifying potential security threats instead of managing and collecting data. Additionally, a TIP enables security and threat intelligence teams to effortlessly exchange threat intelligence information with other stakeholders and security systems. A TIP can be utilized either as a SaaS or on-premises option.
Why Do Companies Need It?
Threat intelligence includes information or expertise that assists companies, such as technical data, human knowledge, and predictions about upcoming threats.
Recognize, classify, confirm and examine several security risks, attacks, malicious actors and indicators of compromise (IOCs).
Comprehend the wider background and consequences of security threats and attacks.
Consistently deliver threat-related information to security, risk management, incident response, executive, and additional teams.
A threat intelligence platform collects threat information from various organizations, equipping security teams with external insights on threats, enabling them to act in a much more preemptive, anticipatory manner and improve decision-making.
Yet, combining threat intelligence data from numerous sources is a laborious process due to the vast number of sources involved. A job ready to be automated.
In many security operations centers (SOCs), threat intelligence is quite a responsibility, while in bigger companies it may be managed by a specialized team.
How Does a TIP Team Collaborate with Others?
Another significant benefit for security and threat intelligence teams using a Threat Intelligence Platform is its inclusion of predefined workflows and procedures for exchanging information with other teams like:
Analysts use the data to identify, confirm, probe, and rank threats.
A Security Operations Center team manages the company’s daily security operations and acts against threats. This team could employ a TIP for streamlining everyday tasks like enhancing data, scoring, and integrating.
Executive and management teams utilize a TIP to access reports and gather information on security risks, threats, and attacks.
This way, in case of a security breach, TI teams can quickly notify and work together with other parties to respond effectively.
How Does the Platform Work?
Threat intelligence platforms collect data from external sources, organize it, and prepare it for analysis by humans or machines. But dangers on the internet are constantly changing, and firms must quickly adjust if they wish to make effective decisions.
A framework assists security teams in efficiently using resources and staying with the current threat landscape. Threat intelligence lifecycles consists of six steps that assist organizations in reaching their objectives. Let’s keep reading to know more about it –
1. The Requirements
It’s the stage of planning, in which a company selects the target audience and the expected results of the intelligence generated.
For example, the necessary intelligence could be for targeted detection, responding after an incident, or comprehending the primary threats to the organization’s attack surface.
Types of potential security threats that are most likely to be relevant is a crucial starting point when organizing requirements.
This includes identifying the malicious actors who are most likely to target the organization, understanding common tactics, and determining who needs to be informed.
2. Collection of Information
TIPs usually begin by gathering unprocessed data from sources external to the organization like communities, security vendors, national vulnerability databases, or open-source feeds.
Security solution providers can gather data from all users and use this information to improve their products for customers or offer them as a standalone product.
Other sources include industry-specific feeds, “trust circles” of cybersecurity professionals, and dark web forums. Various sources provide open-source feeds, such as CISA, SANS, and Google, and web crawlers can be utilized to scour the internet for vulnerabilities and cyber-attacks.
3. Processing the Data
Raw data is transformed into formats suitable for analysis.
It involves decoding documents, converting language from other countries arranging information into sheets, and assessing data for accuracy and importance.
4. Evaluating the Information
During this stage, raw information is converted into insights used in creating action strategies based on decisions made during the “requirements” phase.
The ultimate findings are compiled into various kinds of reports and evaluations intended for various audiences.
Strategic intelligence is designed for senior security planners and concentrates on overarching trends for guiding security investments and policies.
Tactical intelligence concentrates on indicators of compromise (IOCs) and is utilized to expedite the detection and removal of a possible threat. Tactical threat intelligence is usually automated and can be generated quickly.
Operational intelligence analyzes the individuals and actions involved in a cyberattack to learn the strategies, intentions, and expertise of the attackers, enabling the establishment of an effective defense strategy for future or similar attacks.
5. Dissemination
The findings are transformed into suggestions customized for particular groups and shared with parties involved.
During this stage, it’s important to steer clear of complex terminology and stick to being succinct. The most effective formats for presentation are a one-page report or a brief slide deck.
6. Feedback
Due to the constantly changing threat landscape, it is important to establish a continual feedback loop. During this stage, ask stakeholders for input on the importance of the reports given and evaluate the efficiency of current technical controls.
This feedback loop helps to modify the choice of external threat intelligence sources and prioritize newly generated insights according to the context.
The Key Features of a TIP
Relying only on indicators for a threat intelligence platform is insufficient for security in today’s complex threat landscape. Opponents frequently alter their strategies and gathering indicators will not reveal the actor’s intentions or level of skill.
Look for a solution that combines various types of threat intelligence and enables users to access and share the information. Consolidating and de-duplicating indicators from various sources are essential for threat intelligence platforms. Nevertheless, the actor and attack tactic enrichment offers security operations teams direction on their next steps.
Additionally, the automated detection of new attack strategies needs to be linked with various controls and detection tools like –
Security analytics (SIEM,), Next gen firewall (NGFW),
Endpoint detection and response (EDR), Incident response workflows, and Vulnerability and asset management tools.
The Bottom Line
There are flaws present in threat intelligence platforms.
Standalone TIPs do not have connections with other security tools and typically do not facilitate communication with team members from other departments who need to respond to threats.
Having a segregated TIP diminishes the ability to contextualize threat intelligence and act on insights. That’s why it’s a must-have for everyone in the business.
