Threat Hunting

Simple Definition for Beginners:

Threat hunting is the proactive search for cybersecurity threats within a computer network or system to detect and eliminate potential risks before they cause harm.

Common Use Example:

Cybersecurity professionals use threat hunting techniques to actively search for signs of malicious activity, such as unusual network traffic or suspicious file behavior, to identify and neutralize threats.

Technical Definition for Professionals:

Threat hunting is a cybersecurity practice that involves actively and continuously searching for indicators of compromise (IoCs) or signs of malicious activity within an organization’s network or endpoints. Key aspects of threat hunting include:

• Proactive Approach: Actively searching for threats rather than waiting for alerts or incidents to occur.

• Data Analysis: Analyzing large volumes of data, logs, and network traffic to identify abnormal patterns or anomalies.

• IoC Detection: Searching for indicators of compromise (IoCs) such as unusual file behavior, unauthorized access attempts, or anomalous network traffic.

• Human Expertise: Leveraging the skills and experience of cybersecurity analysts to identify and investigate potential threats.

• Continuous Improvement: Iteratively refining hunting techniques and strategies based on findings and evolving threat landscapes.