Threat Intelligence is the key to proactive cybersecurity

Threat intelligence can be defined as the use of updated databases that are used

within NextGeneration firewalls, such as Teldat’sbe. safe Pro. They will detect what is a cybersecurity virus, malware or an intrusion, so that the NextGeneration firewall knows how to act once the detection has taken place.

Threat Intelligence is used by all those functionalities of a NextGeneration firewall that require specific content from a database to be able to work correctly.

However, not all NextGeneration firewalls functionalities require threat intelligence.

Some functionalities work independently of threat intelligence databases. For example, SSL / TLS inspection, ZTNA, VPNor DLP.

Functionalities in which Threat Intelligence is deployed

There are four basic functionalities within a NextGeneration Firewall which use threat intelligence, which are explained in more detail below. These are;

IPS/IDS, Anti-Virus/Anti-Bot, URL filtering and Application Control

Below each of these four areas are explained in detail.

?IDS/IPS

An IDS (Intrusion Detection System) monitors network traffic for suspicious activities, anomalies, or policy violations and generates alerts to notify administrators of potential threats. It operates passively and does not take action against the detected issues.

If action needs to be taken, this would be done by an IPS (Intrusion Prevention System). IPS actively monitors and controls network traffic. It detects suspicious activities and takes immediate action to block, reject, or quarantine malicious traffic, thereby preventing attacks and enhancing overall network security.

Whether its an IDS or IPS, they both work by using databases to detect threats on a network.

?Anti-Virus/Anti-Bot

Anti-virus software detects, prevents, and removes malware, such as viruses, worms, and trojans, from networks. It uses signature-based detection, heuristic analysis, and real-time monitoring to identify and mitigate threats, ensuring system security and integrity.

Anti-bot software specifically targets botnet-related threats, which involve networks of infected devices controlled by cybercriminals. It detects, blocks, and removes malicious bots, preventing unauthorized access, data theft, and participation in coordinated cyber attacks. Both tools are essential for a comprehensive cybersecurity.

URL Filtering

This functionality is also known as content filtering or web filtering.

Conventional firewalls only identify ports, protocols, and IP addresses, they can't identify URLs or control applications. URL filtering or content filtering allows you to categorize Internet browsing, being able to apply URL filtering to malicious categories. Hence blocking or denying access to malicious websites, generating rules by destination URL, establishing category-based navigation control and more.

Application control

Application control is used to detect what applications are being used on a network. So that all specific applications are detected and under control.

Policies can be established by the network administrators so known applications can either be allowed, denied, given restricted access or blocked. If an unknown application comes into use, these can be investigated in real-time and be categorized accordingly.?

Key points related to Threat Intelligence

Apart from choosing the best cybersecurity system solution for your company or organization, there are key points related to threat intelligence that should be taken into account when selecting a Next Generation firewall with their corresponding threat intelligence functionalities. ?These are the following:

1.????? Quality of the Databases: There are many companies that offer good quality market-standard databases for URL Filtering, IPS / IDS and other threat intelligence funtionalities. The best databases should be the ones to use, as they will offer the best efficiency and effectiveness.

2.????? Not only one database: It is important that the threat intelligence chosen by a company or organization, is made up in such a way that it does not rely on only one database, but that it has the ability of deploying the intelligence from various databases to give the final solution. This will also increase efficiency and effectiveness.

3.????? Speed of Action: When choosing a threat intelligence solution, one must also measure the velocity with which the databases are updated. It is of utmost importance that it’s only a matter of minutes between a virus or malware being detected and then applied to the working database. So that the networks that are being protected are kept at no risk from the constant influx of new threats. ?

Other related cybersecurity considerations

Cybersecurity is not only about threat intelligence. There is more to it than just threat intelligence. Cybersecurity solutions are made up of an array of functionalities. We cannot analyze all of these functionalities in this Newsletter, however below are a few related issues.

Zero-Day Attacks: These in theory would not fall into the category of threat intelligence, because as they are zero-day, these viruses or malwares would not be detected on threat intelligence databases. However, here are other ways of detecting zero-day attacks. One of these methods would be via the use of sandbox, which is what Teldat uses, apart from other solutions. ?

Vulnerabilities: These cannot be avoided, but it is true that at Teldat we take this aspect very seriously. So much so, that our operating system is designed to minimize the possibility of impact on client networks’ and we also have our own R&D Team to resolve any reported bugs as a priority.

Auto virtual patching : Teldat has a system to not only carry out DPI on traffic that reaches our firewalls, but it can also detect a virus or malware which is being directed at our devices, before they arrive. This means that the our devices that carry out the Next Generation firewall functionalities, are also protected from cyber attacks. ?

Summary of Threat Intelligence

A quick run down of threat intelligence. To understand what threat intelligence is within cybersecurity. How and where it is deployed. Key points that need to be borne in mind when choosing the best threat intelligence policy for your company or organization.

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