What distinguishes cyber threat intelligence from cyber threat hunting?

CTI is very close to Cyber Forensics but not the same. While forensics is a detective mechanism and tries to identify what went wrong, CTI tends to act based on Zero Trust. It tries to gather information about the system to better prepare its defence.

CTI involves gathering, analyzing, and sharing information about potential cyber threats and the entities behind them. It enables organizations to comprehend the broader threat landscape, anticipate potential attacks, and strategically allocate defenses and resources. From my experience in cybersecurity, I've learned that CTI can be sourced from diverse channels including open and closed sources, as well as internal and external data. It is categorized into strategic, operational, or tactical levels, each serving different analysis scopes and purposes. This layered approach to intelligence allows for a nuanced understanding of threats and aids in crafting more effective cybersecurity strategies.

Cyber threat intelligence (CTI) and cyber threat hunting are essential components of cybersecurity, providing context and insights to help organizations understand the threat landscape. CTI gathers information from various sources, while hunting actively seeks out threats within an organization's network or systems. Both play complementary roles in a robust cybersecurity strategy, with CTI providing context and knowledge about potential threats, while threat hunting focuses on identifying and mitigating threats that have evaded traditional detection tools. Both play critical roles in strengthening an organization's cybersecurity posture.

Cyber Threat Intelligence (CTI) uses information about cyber threats to help strengthen organizational security. In technical terms, it entails analyzing information from several sources in order to predict/ provide collaborative context of threats. For example, IOCs, malware reports, risk advisories, malware behaviors etc. On a surface, CTI is like a cyber weather forecast: Predicting and anticipating digital storms. A common example is deploying CTI to inform businesses of the increased threat levels for malware during holiday seasons – just like how Log4J kicked off Christmas holidays back in 2021.

The best way to define Cyber Threat Intelligence (CTI) as i understand can be broken down as: Purpose: The primary goal of CTI is to provide information and insights about potential cyber threats. It involves the systematic collection, analysis, and dissemination of data related to cyber threats and vulnerabilities. Activities: CTI analysts gather information from various sources, analyze it to understand the tactics and techniques of cyber adversaries, and share relevant intelligence with stakeholders. It's more about understanding the broader landscape of cyber threats and providing strategic, tactical, or operational insights.

CTH is based on the premises of the threat already present in our network and hence needs relentless effort to actually locate the threat. In my career I have seen many a times despite best skill set and tools the effort may not yield anything and thus one may tend to get demotivated. However the team needs to continue their zeal and whenever next CTH is there team needs to work again with same spirit To conclude there is a need for constant encouragement and praise for CTH team to continue their efforts relentlessly everytime

In my experience when you break down the role of Cyber Threat Hunting you can define it easily: Purpose: Cyber threat hunting is a proactive approach to identifying and mitigating cyber threats within an organization's network. It involves actively searching for signs of malicious activity that may have evaded traditional security measures. Activities: Threat hunters use a combination of tools, techniques, and expertise to actively search for anomalous or suspicious behavior in network logs, endpoints, and other data sources. It's a hands-on process that aims to detect and respond to threats that may have bypassed automated security systems.

CTI is generally more reactive, offering high-level insights that guide decision-making and planning. It involves disseminating information to stakeholders, thereby providing a broad perspective of the threat landscape. In contrast, CTH is proactive, delving into the pursuit of hidden or unknown threats. It's based on specific assumptions and hypotheses, focusing on uncovering and addressing these threats with detailed actions for detection and remediation. My experience in cybersecurity highlights the importance of CTH's reliance on the individual expertise and creativity of the hunter, which differentiates it from the more structured and shared approach of CTI. Together, they form a comprehensive approach to cybersecurity.

Organizations first have to create a dedicated team/ service that collects data from various sources such as security reports; threat databases and industry feed among other in order implement Cyber Threat Intelligence (CTI). Then, to look for trends and IoCs within this data. For CTH, it comes in as an iteration process that is where security teams proactively look for threats. A technical example - observing irregular network traffic or unauthorized access to confidential data via threat hunting techniques that suggest a possible breach. However, CTI and CTH are dynamic disciplines that require constant improvement scope and varies in deployment methods from org to org.

The Stuxnet case study from 2010 stands out as a pivotal example showcasing the significance of (CTI) & (CTH). This sophisticated malware, targeting Iran's nuclear program, required advanced CTI capabilities to analyze its intricate code and attribute the attack to a joint effort by the United States and Israel. Stuxnet exploited zero-day vulnerabilities, underscoring the need for proactive intelligence to detect and understand emerging threats. The case emphasized the challenges of protecting critical infrastructure, especially when dealing with nation-state threats, highlighting importance of collaboration and information sharing among security researchers and organizations for a comprehensive cybersecurity response.