Knowledge of STIX, CYBOX and TAXII and how they relate to each other.
STIX (Structured Threat Information eXpression) is a standardised format representing intelligence and includes threat information such as context and relationships between different elements. For instance, it shows how TTPs are related to a particular threat actor. It has a structured format that communicates complex threat details with consistency.
CybOX (Cyber Observable expression) provides a standard to describe cyber observables (statements of fact), such as indicators and events. It is integrated within STIX to detail the observable elements to document and share threat data.
TAXII (Trusted Automated eXchange of Indicator Information) is a transport protocol that facilitates the sharing of threat intelligence over HTTPS. It defines services and message exchanges to enable the secure exchange of cyber threat information and is used to transport STIX data between organisations.
Knowledge of the content and format of different types of STIX message.
STIX messages use XML documents based on STIX schema (maintained by MITRE), which is comprised of nine top-level constructs that represent various aspects of threat intelligence:
- Observable:?Represents measurable events or properties of a cyber system, such as file hashes, IP addresses, domain names, and network connections.
- Indicator:?shows patterns of observables and behaviours that indicate malicious activity, such as a set of IP addresses, domain names, and file hashes linked to a malware family.
- Threat Actor:?Describes individuals, groups, or organisations believed to be behind malicious activities.
- Intrusion Set:?Groups of threat actors that share TTPs and resources.
- Campaign: Coordinated malicious activity linked to a threat actor or intrusion set.
- TTP (Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures): These are the methods used by threat actors to achieve their goals.
- Exploit Target:?Describes vulnerabilities or weaknesses that attackers can exploit.
- Course of Action:?Outlines steps taken to mitigate a threat or recover from an incident.
- Incident:?Represents a cybersecurity event that has already taken place.
Understanding of the advantages/disadvantages of machine-readable TI.
- Automation:?Machine-readable TI supports the automation of threat data ingestion and integration. Security tools can automatically process and operationalise threat information which reduces manual workload.
- Scalability:?With machine-readable formats like STIX, the handle of large volumes of threat data becomes more manageable, enhancing scalability.
- Interoperability:?Standard formats such as STIX provide a common language that improves interoperability across different security tools and systems.
- Complexity:?The implementation and management of machine-readable TI often demands specialised tools and expertise, which add complexity.
- Context Loss:?Converting human-readable intelligence into machine-readable can cause the loss of valuable context or nuance and affect the accuracy and effectiveness of the intelligence.
- Limited Adoption:?Adoption of these standard formats is not universal, which can create challenges when sharing information with entities that do not support them.
- Data Overload:?Because of large volumes of data there are risks that automated systems overwhelm security teams with false positives and irrelevant information.
Despite the challenges, the benefits of speed, scalability, and interoperability often make machine-readable TI essential as cyber threats evolve and grow in complexity.
Senior Consultant Certified: ISO 27005 - Lead Risk Manager, EBIOS RM, CEH
5 个月Also we can emphasize the need for continuous learning and adaptation when working with STIX, CybOX, and TAXII. Staying updated on the evolving threat landscape and regularly refining threat intelligence processes ensures that organizations maintain agility, leveraging these standards to proactively defend against emerging cyber risks.