3 Threat Hunting Techniques You Should Know

Monterey Business IT Helpdesk Support

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In this article, we will discuss 3 threat hunting techniques you should be aware of and how our Monterey business IT helpdesk support can help your business stay safe and secure.


Cybersecurity
continues to be a primary concern for businesses of all sizes, and with good reason, considering the use of malware increased by 358% through 2020 and ransomware usage increased by 435% compared to the previous year, according to a study by 
Deep Instinct. July 2020 alone saw a 653% increase in malicious activity compared to the same month in 2019.

Knowing the level of risk that exists today, it is time for organizations to start being proactive versus reactive when it comes to their cybersecurity efforts. After all, it is not a matter of if – but when – an organization will experience some sort of security event. 

It is virtually impossible to eliminate 100% of threats to your organization, but when you incorporate threat hunting into your cybersecurity arsenal, you are much better positioned to protect your most critical data and assets. 

This blog will take a look at the three most common threat hunting techniques that are used today.

Threat Hunting Techniques

Threat hunting offers several benefits to an organization, including a reduction in breaches and breach attempts, an increase in the speed and accuracy of incident response, and an overall improvement in the security of an organization’s environment. 

So, what are threat hunting techniques that are commonly used in today’s cyber landscape? Keep reading to find out!

Indicators of Compromise

Indicators of Compromise (IOC)-based threat hunting is the most simple type of threat hunting technique available today. An organization’s ability to detect IOCs is a critical component of a comprehensive and effective threat hunting strategy. 

IOCs are pieces of digital forensic data that identify potentially malicious activity on a system or network. IOC-based threat hunting requires an investigator to search through logs for these identifiers, and leveraging this information, the investigator can detect malware infections, data breaches, and other security threats before they become harmful to your business.

Something to consider with IOC-based threat hunting is that it is reactive in nature, meaning that if an indicator is found, it is very likely that your network has already been compromised. And, as cyber criminals and their attack techniques become more sophisticated, IOCs can be more difficult to identify. 

Overall, IOCs provide valuable information that can be used to proactively protect your business safe from cyber threats and prevent similar attacks from happening in the future.

Tactics, Techniques and Procedures

Threat hunting tactics, techniques and procedures (TTP) is a technique of threat hunting that is centered around the knowledge of and activity patterns associated with specific threat actors

The analysis of TTPs helps security teams contextualize threats and understand how threat actors perform attacks, providing invaluable threat intelligence that aids in a business’s security operations and significantly improves its security posture. With TTP-based threat hunting, the hunting team can more efficiently identify possible sources of the attack and escalate the threat by correlating it to the activity of known actors, allowing for more efficient detection and response.

TTP-based hunts typically require a tier 2 threat hunter or above to think like an attacker and look for scenario-based attack evidence throughout an organization’s network. The approach to hunting for TTP is systematic and thorough and as a standard practice should follow MITRE ATT&CK® guidelines.

Digital Forensics and Incident Response

Digital Forensics and Incident Response (DFIR)-based threat hunting is perhaps the most advanced of the cyber threat hunting techniques. It focuses on the identification, investigation, and remediation of cyberattacks within a corporate environment. 

DFIR occurs when there are signs of a breach or compromise. From there, an analyst will search through the security data of the potentially infected device with a fine-toothed comb to investigate the breach. This could include reviewing logs to identify suspicious activity, analyzing file systems for signs of compromise, reviewing network activity such as email and web browsing, and more. 

Findings from these types of analyses can help strengthen an organization’s preventative security measures as well as improve response times, which in turn reduces the organization’s overall risk.

With the ongoing shift to cloud environments and remote workforces – and considering the increasing amount of cyber attacks – it is more imperative than ever that organizations adequately protect themselves, and having a solid DFIR strategy is a key element in that effort.

Start Proactively Protecting Your Business

Organizations often struggle to develop or execute an effective cybersecurity plan on their own due to several factors, whether it be a lack of in-house resources, budget constraints, or other reasons. Thus, outsourcing cybersecurity services is oftentimes the best, most cost-effective option, especially for SMBs or enterprise organizations without a dedicated IT security team. 

Adaptive Information Systems was founded with the mission to help businesses get the most out of their technology investments. Are you in need for great Monterey business IT helpdesk support ? We are ready to manage your IT needs so you can focus on running your business.

831-644-0300

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