Cyber Threat Intelligence Explained: Sources, Types and Benefits

What is Cyber Threat Intelligence?

 

Cyber Threat Intelligence (CTI), or also known as threat intel, refers to information derived from the collection and analysis of data about cybersecurity threats to an organisation’s digital infrastructure. CTI helps organisations understand threats and the Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures (TTPs) used by threat actors relevant to them.

 

This actionable threat information enables organisations to develop effective strategies to patch vulnerabilities and better prepare for potential attacks. Such proactive security intelligence aims to reduce the growing risks faced by organisations due to the rapid evolution and increasing sophistication of cyber threats.

 

What Are the Sources of Cyber Threat Intelligence?

 

Threat intelligence is obtained from various sources that contribute to an organisation’s understanding of potential threats and the current cyber threat landscape. These sources help organisations anticipate and respond to security challenges more effectively. Common sources of threat intelligence include:

 

• Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT): Information collected from publicly available sources, including news articles, blogs, and social media. Examples of OSINT tools include search engines, Google Dorks and people searching platforms.
• Social Media Intelligence (SOCMINT): Data from social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. These may include discussions about recent security incidents and the vulnerabilities attackers are exploiting.
• Internal security sources: Security logs from Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) systems, firewalls, Intrusion Prevention System (IPS), endpoints and other internal threat intelligence.
• Dark web forums: Underground forums and marketplaces where cybercriminals share information. The discussions and transactions can provide latest information on threats or attackers’ potential targets and strategies.
• Commercial threat intelligence providers: Specialised firms offering threat intelligence services and platforms. These experts use advanced tools to keep up with the latest threats and trends in real time.

 

What are the types of Cyber Threat Intelligence?

 

The sources of threat intelligence mentioned above provide organisations with the data needed to develop different types of threat intelligence. The types of threat intelligence can be broadly classified into four categories:

 

 

Strategic Threat Intelligence

 

Strategic threat intelligence provides a high-level overview of the threat landscape, focusing on trends, patterns, and potential impacts on the organisation's goals and operations. It is typically used by executives and decision-makers to inform long-term security strategies and resource allocation. Key characteristics:

 

• Focus on high-level threats and trends
• Informed by geopolitical events, economic factors, and emerging technologies
• Aims to shape organisational policies and risk management approaches

 

 

Tactical Threat Intelligence

 

Tactical threat intelligence focuses on the specific tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) employed by threat actors. It helps security teams understand the methods used in attacks, enabling them to strengthen their defences and mitigate risks. Key characteristics:

 

• Details on specific threat actor behaviours
• Provides actionable insights for security teams
• Often includes recommendations for security controls and best practices

 

Operational Threat Intelligence

 

Operational threat intelligence concentrates on specific threats that are currently affecting or may soon affect the organisation. This type of intelligence includes details about ongoing attacks, indicators of compromise (IOCs), and threat actor activities. Key characteristics:

 

• Timely and relevant information about active threats
• Focus on real-time threat detection and incident response
• Often includes specific IOCs (e.g., IP addresses, malware hashes) that security teams can use for investigation

 

Technical Threat Intelligence

 

Technical threat intelligence provides detailed technical data about threats, including malware signatures, vulnerabilities, and exploit details. This type is essential for security analysts and incident responders to understand and mitigate technical threats effectively. Key characteristics:

 

• In-depth technical analysis of malware, vulnerabilities, and exploits
• Information that can be directly integrated into security tools (e.g., SIEMs, firewalls)
• Focus on enhancing detection and prevention mechanisms

 

Cyber Threat Intelligence Lifecycle

 

The Cyber Threat Intelligence lifecycle or framework outlines a systematic approach for converting raw data into useful intelligence for organisations. The lifecycle, consisting of six key stages, aims to enhance cybersecurity decision-making and optimise resource allocation for better risk mitigation.

 

Stage 1: Planning

 

The first stage involves planning, where organisations define their intelligence requirements. It involves understanding the threats and vulnerabilities most critical to the organisation, setting objectives and scope of intelligence efforts, and addressing the needs of stakeholders involved in making cybersecurity decisions for the company. This sets the direction of what intelligence threats the organisation plans to prioritise.

 

Stage 2: Collection

 

In this next phase, the cybersecurity team collects raw threat data and processed threat intelligence from relevant CTI sources, such as OSINT and other threat intelligence feeds. This process is typically managed through centralised management tools like SIEM or threat intelligence platforms, enabling the efficient gathering of large volumes of data.

 

Stage 3: Processing

 

The collected raw data often requires processing before analysis can be done. Methods used may include log parsing, data cleaning or using threat intelligence frameworks like MITRE ATT&CK to map observed adversary behaviours to known patterns or TTPs.

 

Stage 4: Analysis

 

In the analysis phase, the processed data is examined to identify insights and correlations. They should aim to address the requirements outlined in the planning stage to inform the organisation of decisions or strategies to take. Cybersecurity analysts may use a combination of advanced technologies and statistical methods to convert the processed data into actionable intelligence.

 

Stage 5: Dissemination

 

After the analysis is complete, the resulting intelligence is shared with relevant stakeholders. This phase involves creating reports, dashboards, and alerts tailored to the needs of different audiences, such as security teams, management, and other business units. Effective communication ensures that the intelligence is understandable and actionable.

 

Stage 6: Feedback

 

The final phase involves gathering feedback on the provided intelligence and the overall threat intelligence process. This feedback helps evaluate the effectiveness of the intelligence and identify areas for improvement. It also ensures that the intelligence cycle remains dynamic and continuously evolves to meet the organisation’s changing needs.

 

 

What Are the Benefits of Cyber Threat Intelligence?

 

CTI offers significant advantages against increasingly sophisticated and well-resourced cyber attackers who use highly targeted techniques to penetrate an organisation’s defences. By enabling faster threat detection and response, threat intelligence helps organisations identify potential threats fast and efficiently. This proactive approach allows organisations to anticipate and mitigate threats before they occur, thereby reducing businesses risks of encountering cybersecurity incidents.

 

Overall, threat intelligence strengthens an organisation’s security posture by keeping them informed about the latest threats and vulnerabilities, understanding threat actors’ decision-making processes, and guiding leaders on long-term strategic investments. Regardless of the sector, threat intelligence can be tailored to meet the unique needs and challenges of different industries and organisations.

 

 

What Makes Ensign’s Cyber Threat Intelligence Unique?

 

While many enterprises are adopting Cyber Threat Intelligence (CTI), most rely on generic global feeds that lack relevance to their specific geography and industry. The result? Limited visibility, and even more limited actionability.

 

At Ensign, we specialise in contextualised, Asia-focused threat intelligence—backed by deep research from our in-house R&D. Our analysts deliver industry-specific insights that help organisations understand and prepare for the precise threats targeting them across sectors such as financial services, critical infrastructure, healthcare, and beyond.

 

For organisations seeking sharper foresight, we offer sector-centric threat reports, custom-built to match your industry’s posture and regional threat landscape. Get in touch with us to commission a tailored report that gives you the intelligence advantage.

 

We also publish an annual Cyber Threat Landscape Report that captures global trends—while zooming into Asia’s key threat hotspots, including Singapore, Australia, Hong Kong, China, South Korea, Malaysia, and Indonesia. Sign up here to be added to our mailing list and receive the report as soon as it’s released.