In this era we are living in, it's very common for companies to be under constant threat from cybercriminals and face the looming danger of security breaches that can result in catastrophic financial losses, reputational damage, and more.
This is where "threat hunting" comes into play. In this article, we explain what it is exactly and how it can become a shield for your company against cybercrime.
Threat hunting is a proactive cybersecurity technique that investigates potential threats that automated tools may not detect.
Instead of waiting for security systems to react to an attack, it actively seeks anomalies or suspicious behaviors to stop them before they cause harm.
Here are some of the characteristics of threat hunting:
Instead of waiting for a security incident to occur, threat hunters actively seek signs of malicious activity to preemptively address them before major damage occurs.
They formulate hypotheses about potential threats and then search for evidence to confirm or refute them.
Detailed analysis of network and system data is conducted to identify suspicious patterns that could indicate an attack.
Threat intelligence information is used to guide the search and better understand the tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) of cybercriminals.
While tools and algorithms can be used, threat hunters also heavily rely on their experience and judgment to identify suspicious activities.
They must constantly adapt to changing tactics of cybercriminals and stay up-to-date with the latest threat trends and techniques.
When an attack is detected, they work closely with other security teams, such as incident response teams, to mitigate it.
To efficiently perform their work, they utilize various tools and technologies, which can include network security solutions, data analysis tools, threat intelligence software, and more.
There are different approaches to threat hunting, each with its own strengths. Here's a breakdown of them:
Hypothesis-Based Threat Hunting: Formulating hypotheses about systems, threats, and adversaries, and then seeking to confirm or refute them.
Intelligence-Based Threat Hunting: This approach uses threat intelligence information, such as incident reports and security bulletins, to guide the search for attacks.
Machine-Based Threat Hunting: Machine learning algorithms and behavior analytics are used to identify anomalous activity patterns that may indicate a threat.
Threat hunting is an essential cybersecurity strategy that serves several vital functions in protecting an organization's systems and data. Here are some key ways it can be useful for your company.
The most significant benefit of threat hunting is its ability to detect and prevent cyber attacks before they happen.
Threat hunting not only prevents attacks but also enhances your organization's ability to respond to them.
It serves as a valuable learning opportunity for your organization, helping to educate your staff about security risks and how they can contribute to the overall security posture.
Demonstrating proactive efforts to seek and address threats can increase customer confidence in your ability to protect their data.
As mentioned earlier, the process of threat hunting begins with formulating hypotheses based on the hunter's knowledge of threats, systems, and adversaries.
These hypotheses can be as simple as "attackers might be attempting to gain access to our servers" or as specific as "attackers are using this particular technique to evade our detection."
Next, they use various tools and techniques to search for evidence that confirms or refutes their hypotheses. This may involve analyzing event logs, monitoring the network, investigating malware, and other data analysis methods.
If a threat is detected, the threat hunting team collaborates with the incident response team to mitigate it. Conversely, if no threats are detected, the hypotheses are refined, and the process starts again.
To implement threat hunting within an organization, a series of steps need to be followed. While these steps may vary depending on the specific circumstances of each organization, here is a general outline to help you get started:
The first step is to fully understand your IT environment, including the systems, networks, and applications you are using. This also involves understanding what your most valuable assets are and where they are located, as these are the most likely targets of an attack.
You will need a dedicated team of security professionals specializing in threat hunting.
These individuals should have a combination of technical and analytical skills, including knowledge of digital forensics, malware analysis, threat intelligence, and other relevant fields of cybersecurity.
There are numerous tools you can use to facilitate your threat hunting efforts.
These may include network security solutions, security analysis platforms, threat intelligence solutions, and other technologies.
The key is to select the ones that best fit your specific needs and ensure they are properly configured to maximize their effectiveness.
Based on your knowledge of the environment and existing threats, the team should generate hypotheses about possible attacks that could take place. These hypotheses should be specific enough to be useful but also broad enough to cover a variety of possible scenarios.
Once you have your hypotheses, the next step is to start actively searching for threats. This involves analyzing data from various sources, such as event logs, network traffic, and other data, to look for signs of malicious activity.
This process can be both automated and manual but must be continuous.
When a threat is detected, the team must analyze it and decide how to respond. This may involve containing the attack, removing malware, patching exploited vulnerabilities, and implementing measures to prevent similar attacks in the future.
Finally, it's important for the team to learn from each threat hunting experience and adapt to new threats and tactics used by cybercriminals. This can involve updating threat hypotheses, adopting new tools and techniques, and providing ongoing training for the team.
We live in an increasingly digital and connected world, where cyber threats have become a daily challenge for organizations of all sizes and sectors.
Therefore, threat hunting emerges as a proactive and dynamic strategy to combat cybercrime and protect valuable digital assets of a company.
Beyond threat prevention, it also has significant educational value, as through this practice, organizations can gain a deeper understanding of cybercriminal tactics and use this knowledge to strengthen their defenses and train their personnel.
In conclusion, threat hunting is an investment worth considering for any organization that takes cybersecurity seriously. Through this practice, you can not only better protect your company against current threats but also prepare for the challenges of the future in the cyberspace.