Threat Hunt. . .Or Else
If you’re not threat hunting, you’re missing out, but you know who’s not?
Threat actors. They are always threat hunting.
By identifying and addressing threats that may have slipped past traditional security measures, security teams can work on prevention instead of damage control.
What is a threat hunt anyway?
I’m glad you asked.
A threat hunt is the proactive identification of and response to threats that may have slipped past traditional security measures.
How do I conduct a threat hunt?
Again, I’m glad you asked. :)
There are five basic steps in a threat hunt:
1. Identify systems and data that are most important to your organization. This step is essential in order to determine which threats need to be hunted down and addressed.
Hint: If you’re looking for everything, you’re looking for nothing.
2. Determine which threats could potentially harm the previously identified systems and data.
This requires you to have an understanding of the various types of threats that exist, as well as their potential impact on critical systems and data unique to your organization.
3. Develop a plan to protect these assets from cyberattacks or other unwanted incursions.
Once the risks have been identified, security teams can begin developing strategies to mitigate them.
4. Implement the plan and integrate monitoring of that threat vector into your security operations.
Your threat hunt will simply be a snapshot in time. Integrating the identified threat vector into your security operations will help to ensure that your mitigations are effective in protecting critical systems and data.
5. Improve the plan as needed. Threats are constantly evolving, so the plan must be updated regularly to reflect these changes.
When it comes to cyberthreats, it’s always better to be safe than sorry. Organizations should consider conducting an internal or external threat hunting exercise in order to proactively identify and address any potential threats that may have slipped past traditional security measures.
Hint: For us infosec and CTI nerds, threat hunts are some of the most fun we can have! :)
Need help with a threat hunt? Ping me on LinkedIn or Twitter.
Benefits of threat hunting
- Proactive identification of threats before they can do damage
- Improved situational awareness of the organization’s overall security posture
- Identification of “unknown threats” that you may not have thought of, especially if they are highly unique
- Higher success rate when it comes to identifying threats, especially those that may be difficult to detect
- Earlier warning of cyberattacks so security teams can work on prevention instead of damage control
Threat hunting helps organizations meet the growing challenges involved with securing their data and critical assets, while also providing you with an opportunity to elevate the awareness of those threats to senior leadership.
Where does threat hunting fit?
Threat hunting is a critical part of any organization’s cybersecurity strategy, as it helps to identify and address potential vulnerabilities before they can be exploited.
In addition, it also helps to improve situational awareness of the organization’s overall security posture. By identifying and addressing threats that may have slipped past traditional security measures, security teams can work on prevention instead of damage control.
Threat hunting is an essential process for any organization, but the security team has to have a clear understanding on what they are looking for (hint: the questions they are trying to answer).
What do you do now?
Well, now you start threat hunting!
Not sure where to start? I’d love to help! Get my help with threat hunting by reaching out to me on Twitter or LinkedIn.
