cyber-security-resources/threat_hunting/intro-to-threat-hunting.md

Threat hunting is a proactive cybersecurity practice where security professionals actively search for signs of malicious activities or potential threats within a network that traditional security tools like firewalls, intrusion detection systems (IDS), or antivirus software may not detect. It goes beyond the automated alerts and relies on human intuition, intelligence, and expertise to uncover hidden threats.

As an experienced cybersecurity expert, you likely recognize the value of threat hunting in detecting advanced and persistent threats (APTs). Here's an overview of threat hunting and the typical process involved:

Threat Hunting Introduction:

• Proactive Approach: Unlike reactive measures that wait for alerts, threat hunting actively looks for anomalies or indicators of compromise.
• Human-Led Analysis: It requires skilled cybersecurity professionals who utilize their understanding of the threat landscape, tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) of attackers.
• Utilization of Intelligence: Threat hunting often involves the use of threat intelligence to understand the current threat environment and identify relevant signs of compromise.
• Holistic Understanding: It includes a deep understanding of normal network behavior, so anomalies can be detected and analyzed.

Threat Hunting Process:

1. Define Objectives and Scope:

   • Identify what you are looking for, such as specific threat indicators, patterns, or behaviors.
   • Define the scope, including systems, networks, and time frames.

2. Gather Intelligence:

   • Utilize external threat intelligence sources and internal data.
   • Understand known TTPs and emerging threats that are relevant to the organization.

3. Create Hypotheses:

   • Formulate hypotheses based on intelligence and knowledge of typical attack behaviors.
   • Examples might include hypotheses about potential malware infections, lateral movements, or data exfiltration.

4. Tool and Technique Selection:

   • Choose appropriate tools, methodologies, and techniques for hunting.
   • This may include SIEM queries, data analytics, endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools, or manual investigation.

5. Investigation and Analysis:

   • Actively search for signs of the threats described in the hypotheses.
   • Analyze the findings to determine if they represent real threats or benign activities.

6. Remediation and Response:

   • If a threat is identified, initiate response procedures to contain and remediate the threat.
   • This may include isolating affected systems, removing malware, or patching vulnerabilities.

7. Documentation and Improvement:

   • Document the findings, methodology, and outcomes.
   • Analyze the results to improve future threat hunting endeavors and update security measures.

8. Iterate:

   • Threat hunting is not a one-time activity but an ongoing process.
   • Regularly repeat the process, refining techniques and adapting to the evolving threat landscape.