Definition
Threat intelligence, also known as Cyber Threat Intelligence (CTI), is the collected and analyzed information about potential or current threats facing an organization. It encompasses data on threat actors, their motivations, capabilities, and the tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) they employ. This intelligence is gathered from various sources, including open-source feeds, dark web monitoring, and internal security logs, and then processed to identify patterns and predict future attacks. In practice, threat intelligence informs an organization's security strategy, enabling proactive defense measures and better incident response. Understanding threat intelligence is crucial for prioritizing security investments and allocating resources effectively to mitigate the most significant risks. For instance, knowing that a specific ransomware group is targeting financial institutions can prompt a company in that sector to enhance its endpoint detection and response capabilities. It is distinct from general vulnerability scanning, which identifies weaknesses, whereas threat intelligence focuses on the active exploitation of those weaknesses by malicious actors. This concept is foundational for certifications like CompTIA Security+, CySA+, and CISSP, as well as AWS Security Specialty.