Threat intelligence is a critical piece of any organization’s security posture. Without it, you’re flying blind when it comes to defending your systems and data. But what are the best threat intelligence tools available today? And which ones should you be using? Here we’ll look at some top threat modeling tools and discuss their importance.

What is Threat Intelligence?

Threat intelligence (TI) is evidence-based knowledge, including context, about an existing or imminent threat to assist in organizational decision-making to mitigate or manage the threat. TI and threat modeling analysis helps secaurity teams answer three critical questions:

1. What are we up against?
2. How do we prioritize our defenses?
3. How can we take action to defend ourselves?

Organizations today face a vast and ever-changing array of threats. To effectively defend themselves, they need to understand the technical details of specific attacks and the attackers’ methods, motives, and goals. This is where threat intelligence comes in.

Threat intelligence can be generated internally or externally. Internal threat intelligence sources include data from security devices and systems, such as intrusion detection and prevention systems, firewalls, and web servers. Organizations can analyze this data to identify trends and patterns indicating a potential threat. External sources of threat intelligence include public information, such as news reports and social media postings, as well as commercial databases and services (Recorded Future, 2022).

Common Cybersecurity Threats

There are many types of threats in terms of cybersecurity. Here are some of the most common:

• Malware: Malware is a type of malicious software that can cause harm to your computer or device. It can come in the form of viruses, Trojans, spyware, and more.
• Phishing: Phishing is an online scam where criminals trick you into giving them your personal information, such as your passwords or credit card numbers.
• SQL Injection: SQL injection is an attack where malicious code is injected into a website’s database.
• Denial of Service (DoS) Attack: A denial of service (DoS) attack is when a perpetrator tries to make a website or service unavailable by overwhelming traffic from multiple computers or devices.
• Man-in-the-Middle Attack: A man-in-the-middle attack occurs when a perpetrator intercepts communication between two parties and secretly eavesdrops or alters the communication. (University of North Dakota, 2020)

Top Threat Intelligence Tools

Threat intelligence and threat modeling tools have become increasingly important in recent years as the cybersecurity landscape has become more complex and sophisticated. There are several types of threat modeling tools available, each with its unique features and benefits, including:

• BitDefender is a leading provider of security solutions for businesses and individuals worldwide. The company offers various products and services, including antivirus software, internet security, malware removal, and threat modeling tools. BitDefender provides several threat intelligence services, including a real-time global threat map and an online threat scanner.
• ThreatConnect is another leading provider of threat intelligence services. The company offers many tools and services, including a threat intelligence platform, an incident response platform, and a malware analysis tool. ThreatConnect also provides several resources for security professionals, including training materials and a blog.
• Recorded Future Fusion: This tool provides users instant access to the latest threat intelligence worldwide. It helps organizations make better decisions about protecting themselves by providing real-time data on the latest threats.
• SolarWinds: This tool comprehensively views an organization’s security posture. It allows users to see all potential threats and then take steps to mitigate them.
• CrowdStrike: This tool provides organizations instant visibility into all activity on their network. It helps them identify and respond to threats quickly and effectively.

Knowing about the common threat modeling tools can go a long way in identifying your IT infrastructure’s security needs or measures and mitigating the risks. Threat Intelligence professionals need to be at the top of their game and acquire the relevant training and skillset to apply the correct security techniques.

Why Should You Pursue the C|TIA Program from EC-Council?

Threat intelligence is critical for anyone in the security field, and EC Council’s Certified Threat Intelligence Analyst (C|TIA) program is one of the best ways to get started in this important area. The C|TIA course covers all aspects of threat intelligence, from gathering and analyzing data to communicating findings to stakeholders.

The C|TIA program has been developed by cybersecurity and threat intelligence experts across the globe to help train learners in identifying and lowering business risks.

References

Heimdal Security Blog. (2022, June 24). Top 7 Open Source Threat Intelligence Platforms that You Can Choose in 2022. https://heimdalsecurity.com/blog/open-source-threat-intelligence-platform-tip/

Recorded Future. (2022, September 19) What Is Threat Intelligence? https://www.recordedfuture.com/threat-intelligence‌

University of North Dakota. (2020, January 13). 7 Types of Cyber Security Threats. University of North Dakota Online. https://onlinedegrees.und.edu/blog/types-of-cyber-security-threats/‌

About the Author

Ryan Clancy is a writer and blogger. With 5+ years of mechanical engineering experience, he’s passionate about engineering and tech. He also loves bringing engineering (especially mechanical) down to a level everyone can understand. Ryan lives in New York City and writes about everything engineering and tech.