CompTIA CySA+
1 Threat Management
1-1 Threat Landscape
1-1 1 Identifying Threat Actors
1-1 2 Understanding Threat Vectors
1-1 3 Threat Intelligence Sources
1-1 4 Threat Intelligence Lifecycle
1-2 Threat Hunting
1-2 1 Threat Hunting Concepts
1-2 2 Threat Hunting Techniques
1-2 3 Threat Hunting Tools
1-3 Threat Modeling
1-3 1 Threat Modeling Concepts
1-3 2 Threat Modeling Techniques
1-3 3 Threat Modeling Tools
1-4 Threat Mitigation
1-4 1 Threat Mitigation Strategies
1-4 2 Threat Mitigation Techniques
1-4 3 Threat Mitigation Tools
2 Vulnerability Management
2-1 Vulnerability Identification
2-1 1 Vulnerability Scanning
2-1 2 Vulnerability Assessment
2-1 3 Vulnerability Identification Tools
2-2 Vulnerability Analysis
2-2 1 Vulnerability Analysis Techniques
2-2 2 Vulnerability Analysis Tools
2-3 Vulnerability Prioritization
2-3 1 Vulnerability Prioritization Techniques
2-3 2 Vulnerability Prioritization Tools
2-4 Vulnerability Remediation
2-4 1 Vulnerability Remediation Techniques
2-4 2 Vulnerability Remediation Tools
3 Cyber Incident Response
3-1 Incident Response Planning
3-1 1 Incident Response Plan Development
3-1 2 Incident Response Team Roles
3-1 3 Incident Response Plan Testing
3-2 Incident Detection
3-2 1 Incident Detection Techniques
3-2 2 Incident Detection Tools
3-3 Incident Analysis
3-3 1 Incident Analysis Techniques
3-3 2 Incident Analysis Tools
3-4 Incident Response
3-4 1 Incident Response Techniques
3-4 2 Incident Response Tools
3-5 Incident Recovery
3-5 1 Incident Recovery Techniques
3-5 2 Incident Recovery Tools
4 Security Architecture and Tool Sets
4-1 Security Controls
4-1 1 Security Control Types
4-1 2 Security Control Implementation
4-1 3 Security Control Monitoring
4-2 Security Tools
4-2 1 Security Tool Categories
4-2 2 Security Tool Implementation
4-2 3 Security Tool Monitoring
4-3 Security Architecture
4-3 1 Security Architecture Concepts
4-3 2 Security Architecture Design
4-3 3 Security Architecture Implementation
5 Compliance and Assessment
5-1 Compliance Requirements
5-1 1 Compliance Standards
5-1 2 Compliance Audits
5-1 3 Compliance Reporting
5-2 Assessment Techniques
5-2 1 Assessment Methodologies
5-2 2 Assessment Tools
5-2 3 Assessment Reporting
5-3 Risk Management
5-3 1 Risk Management Concepts
5-3 2 Risk Management Techniques
5-3 3 Risk Management Tools
6 Software Development Security
6-1 Secure Coding Practices
6-1 1 Secure Coding Principles
6-1 2 Secure Coding Techniques
6-1 3 Secure Coding Tools
6-2 Software Development Lifecycle
6-2 1 SDLC Phases
6-2 2 SDLC Security Practices
6-2 3 SDLC Security Tools
6-3 Software Testing
6-3 1 Software Testing Techniques
6-3 2 Software Testing Tools
6-3 3 Software Testing Security
7 Security Operations
7-1 Security Operations Concepts
7-1 1 Security Operations Roles
7-1 2 Security Operations Processes
7-1 3 Security Operations Tools
7-2 Security Monitoring
7-2 1 Security Monitoring Techniques
7-2 2 Security Monitoring Tools
7-3 Security Incident Management
7-3 1 Incident Management Techniques
7-3 2 Incident Management Tools
7-4 Security Awareness Training
7-4 1 Security Awareness Training Concepts
7-4 2 Security Awareness Training Techniques
7-4 3 Security Awareness Training Tools
Threat Hunting Explained

Threat Hunting Explained

Threat hunting is a proactive cybersecurity strategy that involves actively searching for threats within an organization's network, systems, and data. Unlike traditional reactive security measures, threat hunting aims to identify and neutralize threats before they can cause significant damage. Here, we will explore the key concepts related to threat hunting and provide detailed explanations along with examples.

Key Concepts

Threat hunting involves several key concepts:

Proactive Approach

Threat hunting takes a proactive stance by actively searching for threats that may have bypassed traditional security measures. This approach is akin to a detective searching for clues rather than waiting for a crime to be reported. For example, a security analyst might look for signs of unauthorized access in network logs, even if no alerts have been triggered.

Hypothesis-Driven

Threat hunters often start with a hypothesis about a potential threat, such as "An attacker may have gained access through a recently discovered vulnerability." They then design and execute a plan to test this hypothesis. For instance, they might analyze network traffic for unusual patterns that could indicate exploitation of the vulnerability.

Data Analysis

Data analysis is a critical component of threat hunting. Threat hunters analyze logs, network traffic, and other data sources to identify anomalies and IOCs. This process is similar to a medical diagnosis, where doctors analyze symptoms to identify the underlying cause. For example, a threat hunter might use a Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) system to correlate data from multiple sources and identify a potential breach.

Collaboration

Threat hunting is not a solitary activity; it requires collaboration with various teams within an organization. Security operations teams provide the necessary tools and data, incident response teams handle the response to identified threats, and threat intelligence teams provide insights into emerging threats. This collaboration is akin to a team of specialists working together to solve a complex problem.

Continuous Improvement

Threat hunting is an iterative process that involves continuous improvement. Threat hunters learn from each hunt and use this knowledge to refine their strategies. This is similar to a sports team reviewing game footage to improve their performance. For example, after identifying a new attack vector, a threat hunting team might update their hypotheses and data analysis techniques to better detect similar threats in the future.

Conclusion

Threat hunting is a vital component of a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy. By taking a proactive, hypothesis-driven approach, analyzing data, collaborating with various teams, and continuously improving their methods, organizations can effectively identify and neutralize threats before they cause significant damage.