Threat Intelligence. How to Recognize a Targeted Attack?

What is threat intelligence and why is it becoming extremely important for companies and institutions around the world? In this article, we'll look at recent events that have changed the way organizations deal with threats. What technologies and tools can help in effective analysis and incident prevention? What sources support the threat analysis process?

What is threat intelligence?

Threat intelligence is the process of collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data about potential threats that may affect the security of various organizations. Thanks to threat intelligence, it is primarily possible to identify a threat before it occurs and understand its characteristics and methods of operation. What does threat intelligence mean? It's not just monitoring incidents, but also predicting possible attacks and creating defensive strategies. Threat intelligence in Polish means wywiad zagrożeniowy or inteligencja zagrożeń. This term refers to the process of collecting, analyzing, and using information about threats in cyberspace that may affect the security of computer systems, networks, or organizational data.

Cyber threat intelligence – what does it aim to do?

The main objectives of threat intelligence are:

• threat identification – recognizing potential attacks, viruses, or malware;

• analysis – examining collected data to assess their significance and potential consequences for the organization;

• recommendations – developing strategies and preventive actions that will help minimize threat-related risks.

Threat intelligence – sources of threat information

By applying threat intelligence, organizations can better prepare for attacks and respond to incidents more quickly. Sometimes threat intelligence is treated as a clue or initial hypothesis about a potential attack. Then further tracking begins (so-called threat hunting) based on "traces" left by malware on a computer (suspicious IP addresses, phishing-related emails, or unusual network traffic). Threat intelligence sources are not only data from within the organization, i.e., from its own security systems, logs, incidents, and observations. So-called threat intelligence sources also include public and generally available threat reports, malware databases, and forums where specialists share information about current threats. Additionally, companies like Recorded Future, Anomali, or ThreatConnect offer commercial services that collect and analyze information from various sources, providing valuable data about current threats.

Threat intelligence and world events and AI development

The last five years, marked by the pandemic and war, have significantly increased the importance of cybersecurity. Threat awareness has grown, and organizations have quickly adapted to remote work, revealing new vulnerabilities. The increase in cybercriminal activity, especially those acting on behalf of states, has meant that teams responsible for threat intelligence have really had to intensify all their efforts. Threat analysis has become a very important element of security strategy. Not without significance is also the development and application of artificial intelligence in threat intelligence. What has this caused? Certainly the use of algorithms for data analysis and machine learning, which significantly speeds up the threat identification process. Teams dealing with threat intelligence use various tools and platforms to effectively monitor the situation and predict potential attacks.

Tools and threat intelligence platforms

Choosing the right threat intelligence tools can significantly impact the effectiveness of actions related to threat identification and management. However, choosing appropriate threat intelligence platforms depends strictly on the specifics of the organization's activities, its budget, and all security needs. Most importantly, however, threat intelligence tools should be able to integrate with existing systems and be able to provide relevant information in real time. Cylance, ThreatConnect, Anomali, IBM X-Force Exchange, and Recorded Future are just a few examples of tools and platforms in the threat intelligence area that support organizations in threat identification and analysis.

How to conduct cyber threat intelligence and recognize a targeted attack?

To effectively conduct cyber threat intelligence, it is crucial to define the objectives of actions. Initially, you should determine which threats are relevant to your organization and what information will be needed for effective protection. Data collection is another important step – it should include gathering information from various sources, such as system logs, malware data, industry organization reports, and public threat information.

After collecting data, analysis follows, where it is important to identify patterns and potential threats. It's worth using analytical tools that facilitate the interpretation of collected information. Based on the analysis results, a report is created that can be passed on to teams responsible for security in the organization. Implementing appropriate security measures and monitoring their effectiveness are further actions that should be introduced based on identified threats.

Of course, employee education cannot be ignored either. Regular team training in threat recognition and information exchange about attacks and best practices is fundamental. Threat intelligence plays a major role in red team and blue team activities, providing essential information about potential threats and defense strategies. Meanwhile, CSIRT NASK deals with incident response and supporting organizations in implementing effective security solutions, which emphasizes the importance of integrating threat intelligence in the security management process.

How to recognize a targeted attack?

Recognizing a targeted attack requires special attention and analysis of behaviors in networks and systems. It is important to:

• monitor unusual user activities, such as logging in from unexpected locations, abnormal activity at unusual hours, or unauthorized changes to systems;

• it's also worth paying attention to malware that may be introduced through phishing emails or infected files;

• analyzing network traffic for suspicious IP addresses is another step in threat detection. Possible attempts to gain access to sensitive data, which may result in its theft, should be carefully monitored.

Additionally, an increased number of phishing attempts directed at a specific group of employees may be a signal that the organization is becoming a target of an attack.