Cyber Threat Intelligence: An Educational Resource for IT and Security Specialists

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Learning Goals
3. What Is Cyber Threat Intelligence?
4. Types of Threat Intelligence
5. The Intelligence Lifecycle
6. How Threat Intelligence Is Collected
7. Who Are the Cyber Threat Actors?
8. Common Attack Methods
9. Key Intelligence Frameworks
10. Best Practices for Using Threat Intelligence
11. Career Paths & Certifications
12. Final Thoughts
13. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Introduction

Cyber threats are no longer rare or random – they’re constant and evolving. That’s why Cyber Threat Intelligence (CTI) is essential for defending organizations in today’s digital world. CTI helps security professionals predict, detect, and respond to cyber-attacks more effectively.

2. Learning Goals

This guide will help you:

• Understand what Cyber Threat Intelligence is and why it matters.
• Learn how to gather, analyze, and use threat data.
• Recognize major types of attackers and how they operate.
• Use widely accepted frameworks to interpret threats.
• Follow best practices to protect your organization.
• Get certified and build a career in threat intelligence.

3. What Is Cyber Threat Intelligence?

Cyber Threat Intelligence is the process of collecting and analysing information about potential or current attacks on your digital systems. It helps you understand:

• Who is targeting you?
• How they’re planning to attack.
• What you can do to stop them.

It’s about moving from reactive to proactive security.

4. Types of Threat Intelligence

There are four main types, each used by different people in an organization:

1. Strategic Intelligence
   • For executives and decision-makers.
   • Focuses on trends, risks, and big-picture threats.
2. Tactical Intelligence
   • Used by SOC teams and security engineers.
   • Describes attacker techniques like phishing or malware.
3. Operational Intelligence
   • Informs responses to active threats.
   • Often used during real-time incident response.
4. Technical Intelligence
   • Focuses on unprocessed data such as malicious IP addresses or file hashes.
   • Useful for setting detection rules in firewalls or SIEMs.

5. The Intelligence Lifecycle

The CTI process has five main steps:

1. Planning
   Define your goals—what threats are you worried about?
2. Collection
   Gather data from logs, public sources, dark web, etc.
3. Processing & Analysis
   Clean the data and extract meaningful patterns.
4. Dissemination
   Share the intel with the right people or tools.
5. Feedback
   Review how useful it was and improve next time.

6. How Threat Intelligence Is Collected

Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT)

• Public data from websites, forums, social media.
• Tools: Shodan, Maltego, Google Dorking.

Technical Intelligence (TECHINT)

• Data from malware, logs, and threat feeds.
• Tools: VirusTotal, Recorded Future, Anomali.

Human Intelligence (HUMINT)

• Info from insiders or observing attacker communication.
• Useful for identifying real intent or underground chatter.

7. Who Are the Cyber Threat Actors?

1. Nation-State Actors
   • Sophisticated and well-funded.
   • Target governments, critical infrastructure.
2. Cybercriminals
   • Motivated by profit.
   • Use ransomware, steal data, or commit fraud.
3. Hacktivists
   • Driven by ideology or protest.
   • Deface websites or leak sensitive info.
4. Insiders
   • Employees or contractors with inside access.
   • Can be malicious or careless.

8. Common Attack Methods

• Phishing – Trick users into giving up credentials.
• Malware & Ransomware – Infect systems and demand payment.
• Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs) – Long-term, stealthy intrusions.
• Zero-Day Exploits – Attack unknown vulnerabilities.
• Supply Chain Attacks – Compromise third-party vendors.

9. Key Intelligence Frameworks

MITRE ATT&CK

• A database of real-world attacker behaviors.
• Helps you build defenses and simulate attacks.

Cyber Kill Chain

• Describes 7 steps of an attack—from recon to data theft.
• Good for building defense-in-depth strategies.

The Diamond Model

• Focuses on four elements: adversary, capability, infrastructure, and victim.
• Useful for understanding the relationships in an attack.

10. Best Practices for Using Threat Intelligence

• Use Threat Intelligence Platforms (TIPs) to centralize and correlate data.
• Integrate with SIEM/SOAR tools to automate responses.
• Join ISACs or sharing groups to exchange data with peers.
• Adopt Zero Trust Security—assume no one is safe, even inside your network.
• Test your defenses regularly with red/blue team exercises.

11. Career Paths & Certifications

Recommended Certifications:

• CTIA (Certified Threat Intelligence Analyst) – Core CTI skills.
• GCTI (GIAC Cyber Threat Intelligence) – Advanced analysis.
• CEH (Certified Ethical Hacker) – Understand attacker methods.
• CySA+ (CompTIA Cybersecurity Analyst) – Incident response and analytics.

Career Options:

• Threat Intelligence Analyst
• SOC Analyst
• Red/Blue Team Member
• Cybersecurity Researcher

12. Final Thoughts

Cyber Threat Intelligence is no longer a “nice-to-have.” It’s an essential tool for staying ahead of attackers. Whether you’re managing a security team or analysing network traffic, CTI gives you the upper hand. Start small, keep learning, and build toward a security posture that’s proactive, informed, and resilient.

13. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1: Is Cyber Threat Intelligence only for large companies?
A: No. Even small businesses benefit from basic threat intelligence to prevent phishing or ransomware attacks.

Q2: How do I get started in CTI with no experience?
A: Learn OSINT techniques, take beginner-friendly certifications like CEH or CySA+, and follow CTI blogs and communities.

Q3: What’s the difference between threat intelligence and threat hunting?
A: CTI focuses on gathering and analyzing data. Threat hunting uses that data to actively search for threats in your environment.

Q4: Are there free tools for learning threat intelligence?
A: Yes. Tools like Shodan, VirusTotal, and MISP are free and great for learning.

Q5: How often should I update my threat intelligence?
A: Continuously. Threats evolve daily, so real-time updates are ideal.

14. Recommended Books

Here are two highly recommended and in-demand books that complement your learning in Cyber Threat Intelligence (CTI)

1. The Threat Intelligence Handbook: A Practical Guide for Security Teams

• Author: Recorded Future

• Why Read It:
  This book offers actionable guidance on implementing threat intelligence in security operations. It covers intelligence lifecycle, use cases, and how to align CTI with incident response, vulnerability management, and executive decision-making.

• Best For: Beginners to Intermediate security professionals

2. Practical Cyber Threat Intelligence

• Author: Dr. Henry Dalziel

• Why Read It:
  Provides real-world scenarios and teaches how to gather, analyze, and apply threat intelligence. It also includes case studies and examples from industry.

• Best For: CTI analysts, threat hunters, and SOC teams