Technical Intelligence (TECHINT)
Technical Intelligence (TECHNINT) collects, analyzes, and applies specific, actionable data related to cyber threats, vulnerabilities, and attack methods. It focuses on the "how" of cyberattacks, examining the tools, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) employed by malicious actors.
Relevance to Cybersecurity:
TI plays a crucial role in enabling effective cybersecurity defense and response strategies:
Threat Detection and Prevention: TECHNINT provides detailed insights into the tactics and techniques used by threat actors, allowing security teams to proactively identify and block potential attacks. By understanding the indicators of compromise (IOCs) associated with specific threats, TI helps strengthen security controls and reduce the attack surface.
Incident Response: In the event of a security incident, TECHNINT offers valuable information about the nature and scope of the attack, aiding in the containment and eradication of threats. Understanding the attacker's TTPs enables faster incident response and minimizes the impact of a breach.
Vulnerability Management: TECHNINT helps identify specific software vulnerabilities and exploits threat actors use. This information allows security teams to prioritize patching efforts and mitigate risks associated with known vulnerabilities.
Threat Intelligence Sharing: TECHNINT enables the sharing of threat information between organizations and security communities, fostering collaboration and enhancing collective defense capabilities. Sharing IOCs and TTPs allows others to defend against similar attacks proactively.
Critical Components of TI:
Malware Analysis: Examining malicious software to understand its functionality, propagation methods, and potential impact.
Network Traffic Analysis: Analyzing network data to identify suspicious activity, patterns, and potential attacks.
Digital Forensics: Investigating digital evidence to understand the details of a security incident and attribute attacks to specific actors.
Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT): Gathering information from publicly available sources, such as social media, forums, and dark web marketplaces, to identify potential threats and vulnerabilities.
Technical Intelligence provides actionable, detailed data to understand and respond to cyber threats effectively. By focusing on the technical aspects of attacks, TECHNINT empowers cybersecurity professionals to build more robust defenses, detect and respond to incidents swiftly, and mitigate risks to their organizations.
Technical Intelligence (TECHNINT) is foundational in ThreatNG Security's research and development across its three core solutions: external attack surface management (EASM), digital risk protection, and security ratings. TECHNINT provides the specific, actionable insights that allow ThreatNG to discover, assess, and monitor threats in an increasingly complex and dynamic digital landscape.
Let's break down how TI contributes to each solution:
External Attack Surface Management (EASM):
Discovery: TECHNINT enables the deep scanning and analysis of various sources, such as web applications, cloud platforms, and even the supply chain, to identify potential entry points for attackers. This includes everything from open buckets and code repository checks to online sentiment analysis and financial assessments.
Assessment: TECHNINT helps evaluate the severity of vulnerabilities identified, prioritizing remediation efforts. It helps distinguish critical weaknesses from minor ones, ensuring the most pressing threats are addressed first.
Monitoring: Continuous TECHNINT feeds provide real-time alerts on any changes in the external attack surface, enabling proactive responses to emerging threats. It includes tracking for subdomain takeovers, new vulnerabilities in third-party software, and dark web chatter related to potential attacks.
Digital Risk Protection:
Threat Detection: TECHNINT is essential for discovering and identifying potential risks, including data breaches, brand impersonation, and intellectual property theft. This involves scouring everything from the surface web and social media to the deep and dark web.
Assessment: TECHNINT helps evaluate the potential impact of identified threats, enabling prioritization of response efforts. For instance, TECHNINT can gauge the likelihood of a specific phishing campaign's success or the severity of a data breach based on the types of information exposed.
Monitoring: Ongoing TECHNINT feeds alert ThreatNG to emerging threats and risks, such as brand misuse, leaked credentials, or new vulnerabilities exploited in the wild.
Security Ratings:
Objective Assessment: TECHNINT fuels the objective and independent evaluation of an organization's security posture. It enables the gathering and analyzing of technical data related to vulnerabilities and weaknesses in infrastructure and systems.
Benchmarking: TECHNINT allows comparisons with industry peers and best practices. It enables organizations to understand where they stand about others in their sector, highlighting areas for improvement.
Continuous Monitoring: TECHNINT feeds to ensure the security rating reflects the organization's current state. It helps track changes in security posture over time, capturing improvements and potential new vulnerabilities.
Technical Intelligence acts as the eyes and ears of ThreatNG's solutions. It provides the necessary depth and granularity of information to effectively identify, assess, and mitigate risks across an organization's digital footprint. By integrating TECHNINT into its research and development processes, ThreatNG empowers its clients to defend against ever-evolving cyber threats proactively.
