Cyber-attacks differ in capabilities and methods. While tracking, security teams must consider how attackers conduct attacks and where they can impact.
Cyber threat intelligence experts (CTI) can close cyberattack loopholes using effective cybersecurity measures and strengthen security systems. They must follow the parameters and use effective damage control systems to recover assets.
Due to the severe threat environments, enterprise preparedness is higher now than ever. It means the focus is required on accurately tracking cyber-attacks. Cyber threat intelligence must deploy accurate, actionable threat-tracking systems and processes to keep an eye on the attackers’ rapidly evolving tactics.
In one of IBM’s reports, IBM Security X-Force Threat Intelligence Index 2023 has mentioned that 27% of business email compromise (BEC), ransomware, or distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks are extortion related. Very few organizations can track such attacks beforehand. They need more innovative tools and methods to detect attacks before they occur. To understand it clearly, here are the reasons to support why accurate tracking of cyber-attacks is crucial.
Also Read: Ways to Minimize the Financial Impact of Cyber-Attacks
Making Predictions of Future Attacks Easy
Accurate cyber-attack tracking is helpful for analysts to predict threat actors’ next attack. It allows analysts to strategize preventive actions to mitigate attacks beforehand. Tracking of cyberattacks also helps identify if a particular business area is a single target or is going to be collateral damage. In addition, analysts may also better understand the ways threat actors may attack, the techniques and procedures (TTPs) used, identify the sets of threat activities, and learn the patterns. Summing up, the primary role of cyber threat intelligence (CTI) teams is to analyze group intrusions and not personal attacks.
Cross-Checking Data
Cross-checking attack metrics data can accurately do cyber-attack tracking. This means CTI analysts need to identify two types of data – data on which the attack was targeted- devices, software, or any system affected by cyber-attacks. And other data that display tools attackers used, the infrastructure they used for attacks, the level of attacks, and the methods they used.
CTI teams need to constantly check such data to get precise information about the type of threat and uncover similarities and patterns. When complete information is gained, the teams can strategize preventive measures to stop or mitigate attacks.
Understand the Techniques and Procedures (TTPs) to Enhance Detection and Response
Accurate tracking of cyber threats helps analysts to understand how the attack has happened. During the process, the TTPs can also help security teams identify the responsible attacker behind them. Understanding the cyberattack strategies further enables analysts to evaluate vulnerabilities and skillfully reduce future cyberattacks.
Most threats focus on penetration, business process disruption, critical infrastructure destruction, data breaches, and network hacking. Specific destructive malware such as CaddyWiper, WhisperGate, and Industroyer2 are sometimes identified. Tracking attacks is crucial to mitigate all at the right time or to stop them from attacking. The team’s information about attacks can further guide them in the investigation.
Accenture, in its Cyber Threat Intelligence Report, has mentioned that
- 30% of malware threats observed were backdoor threats in 2021
- Ransomware threats have increased by 107% from 2020-2022
Help Security Leaders to Analyze Investment Value from Security Tools
To successfully track threat attacks, it is vital to check whether or not security tools’ functionalities are optimally efficient. It is because sometimes ineffective security tools limit the scope of tracking attacks. And convincing leaders by justifying the investment value of tools is another challenge.
The tracking process helps leaders analyze how the devices function and whether the investment provides value. With the help of analytics, metrics, and performance levels, security leaders can map out the efficiency of tools and areas to invest more in installing other tools. Tracking further shows how investing in a new device can minimize cyber risks and attacks faster and more accurately. A recent and authentic report shows that security enables business growth.
Also Read: Blackbaud Got Penalty of $3M for ‘Misleading Disclosures’ About 2020 Ransomware Attack
Understand Language Indicators
CTI analysts must rely on techniques and procedures (TTPs) built on attackers’ behavioral models. Under this, language indicators help to understand the kind of attackers and their activities. Language indicators are compiled in codes and files. Decoding the principles can help analysts to detect threat type, threat level, and impact. Language detectors are trackers that can imitate bad actors’ attacking ways in the future. Language indicators also help analysts access data and logs used to create attacks.
CTI Teams Should Prefer Technology for More Accuracy
Artificial intelligence and machine learning are increasingly used to detect cybercrimes and improve the accuracy of cyber-attack prevention. Analysts today can analyze all attacks at once and analyze indicators behind the attacks. Although the attribution system is not 100% accurate, many giant security-conscious enterprises still find the advanced cyber-attack attribution system based on AI & ML function more accurately, which is cost-effective.
Tracking of cyber-attacks can stretch for weeks or even months. However, with technology inclusion, attribution has become less time-consuming. This also means threat intelligence teams must use practical solutions to track unprecedented cyber-attacks consistently to keep organizations safe and secure. Tracking systems must be functional externally and internally. It is because there is no definite method or way for attackers. By keeping this in mind, advanced tracking systems also need continuous updates.
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