Threat Hunting
Process
Harshad Shah
Threat Hunting Process
Threat Hunting Process
1. De ne Objectives and Scope
Identify Key Assets: Begin by understanding which systems, applications, and data are
critical to the organization. This helps narrow the focus of your threat hunting efforts.
Establish Goals: Clearly de ne what you aim to achieve, such as detecting advanced
persistent threats (APTs), insider threats, or other speci c attack vectors.
2. Develop Hypotheses
Threat Intelligence Gathering: Utilize threat intelligence feeds and relevant reports to
identify the latest threats. Assess historical incident data to formulate hypotheses about
likely threats or vulnerabilities.
Formulate Hunting Hypotheses: Based on intelligence, create speci c hypotheses to test,
such as: “Users in speci c geographic locations may be subject to phishing attacks.”
3. Data Collection and Preparation
Log Aggregation: Leverage SIEM (Security Information and Event Management) systems
like Splunk or ELK (Elasticsearch, Logstash, Kibana) to collect and centralize log data
from various sources, including endpoints, rewalls, servers, and applications.
Endpoint Data: Use endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools like CrowdStrike, Carbon
Black, or Microsoft Defender for endpoint protection to gather detailed telemetry from
devices.
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Threat Hunting Process
4. Data Analysis and Investigation
Modeling Attacker Behavior: Use the MITRE ATT&CK framework to understand potential
adversary tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs), allowing you to look for speci c
indicators of compromise (IOCs).
Anomaly Detection: Analyze log data for deviations from the baseline of normal behavior
using statistical methods or machine learning techniques. Tools like Azure Sentinel or
Sumo Logic can help with more advanced analytics.
Manual Investigation: Conduct queries in your SIEM or EDR tool to search for anomalies or
IOCs related to your hypotheses. Cross-reference with threat intelligence sources.
5. Response and Remediation
Alert Generation: Based on ndings, create alerts or incidents in your Security Operations
Center (SOC) for follow-up. Ensure relevant teams are informed for immediate action.
Incident Handling: Work closely with the incident response team to triage and respond to
any con rmed threats, containing and remediating affected systems.
. Documentation and Reporting
Document Findings: Maintain a detailed record of your hunting process, ndings, and
responses. This is crucial for future reference and compliance requirements.
Reporting to Stakeholders: Create a report or presentation for management outlining the
threat landscape, actions taken, and recommendations for further security enhancements.
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Threat Hunting Process
7. Feedback Loop and Continuous Improvement
Review and Adapt: Regularly review the effectiveness of your hunting techniques and
tools. Use lessons learned to re ne hunting hypotheses and processes.
Training and Awareness: Conduct training sessions for teams based on identi ed threats
and trends, fostering a culture of awareness and preparedness.
Tools Usage
SIEM: Tools like Splunk, QRadar, or ELK stack for log aggregation and event correlation.
Threat Intelligence Platforms: Services like ThreatConnect or Recorded Future for up-to-date
threat information.
EDR: Tools such as CrowdStrike, SentinelOne, or Carbon Black for endpoint visibility and
investigation.
Network Analysis: Tools like Wireshark or Zeek for network tra c analysis and monitoring.
Vulnerability Management: Using Qualys or Nessus for assessing vulnerabilities across the
infrastructure.
Collaboration Tools: Platforms like Jira or ServiceNow for tracking incidents, documenting
ndings, and assigning follow-ups.
Conclusion
In conclusion, threat hunting is a proactive and iterative process that combines intelligence gathering,
data analysis, and incident response. It requires a combination of the right tools, methodologies, and
a skilled team to effectively identify and mitigate threats in real time. By documenting and adapting
your approach continuously, you can enhance your organization’s security posture over time.
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Threat Hunting Process
With this structured response, you can effectively convey your extensive experience in threat hunting
processes, methodologies, and the tools you use to enhance cybersecurity defenses.
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