As organizations search for more proactive ways to thwart multi-stage ransomware attacks and cunning “low and slow” hackers, threat hunting is becoming increasingly popular. Threat hunting provides a more thorough and multi-layered strategy by enhancing threat detection and response. The majority of managed service providers (MSPs) are actively looking for ways to be proactive and provide guided remediation that actively thwarts and blocks attacks. Adoption may be hampered by a lack of personnel and expertise, as well as by a lack of knowledge with threat hunting procedures and tactics.
Threat hunting: What Is It?
Threat hunting can help you find dangers that would otherwise go undetected until a data breach is discovered, which is frequently months later. Threat hunting is the activity of seeking proactively and iteratively for sophisticated threats that elude current security measures. This proactive defense prompts an immediate response before assailants modify their strategies or evade capture.
Myths Regarding Threat Hunting
To distinguish between myths and facts about threat hunting, consider these practical ideas from analysts at CYB3R-X’s Security Operations Center (SOC):
Myth #1: Threat detection is completely automatable. Companies are working nonstop to capitalize on the term artificial intelligence (AI), which is currently all the rage. In actuality, the threat hunting process cannot be totally automated due to its analytical character. In order to identify cybercriminals who alter their tactics, methods, and procedures (TTPs) to avoid automated detection, humans will always be required as part of the cybersecurity process. However, automation can frequently improve and speed up the data collecting and threat context enrichment processes.
Myth #2: Hunting is open to all. The finest hunters are enquiring, enthusiastic individuals who are aware of the dynamic nature of threats. With this knowledge, they may customize threat hunting for different customer contexts, markets, and threats. For cyber analysts, asking the right questions is a crucial first step in their search.
Myth #3: Threat hunting and penetration testing are the same. The goals of these two security procedures differ. An approved attempt to break into and access a company’s data assets while posing as a harmful outside actor is known as a penetration test. Its goal is to locate exploits so that a quick threat response may be launched in advance of any prospective cyberattack.
Myth #4: Threat hunting consistently turns up malware or intruders. Threat hunting will typically uncover more policy infractions and configuration errors than malware or online criminals. Addressing such detections lowers noise because they are extremely valuable and actionable. Threat hunting will, however, eventually reveal evil.
Myth #5: Threat hunters primarily focus on hunting. Surprise! Threat hunters spend a lot of their time planning their hunts rather than really chasing threats. These actions could involve gathering information, conducting tests, obtaining approvals, creating documentation, or convincing network administrators that adding a new log source is indeed necessary.
Look for master managed security service providers who incorporate these hunt capabilities into their solutions as you consider how to offer threat hunting to your customer base so they can handle the grunt work. In order to stay one step ahead of online criminals when every second counts, CYB3R- X Managed Threat Protection anticipates, prevents, detects, and responds to sophisticated attacks.
