Threat Hunting with Security Onion

Questions

1. How are Threat Hunting and Pentesting different?

Threat hunting is about actively searching for signs of cyber threats or vulnerabilities that may have gone unnoticed, using various tools and techniques. It's an ongoing process that aims to catch threats early.

Pentesting, on the other hand, involves simulating real attacks on a system or network to find weaknesses. It follows a structured approach and is done periodically or on-demand within a specific scope and timeframe.

2. What is the primary objective of Threat Hunting?

The primary goal of threat hunting is to actively find and stop potential threats or signs of attacks that might have bypassed normal security measures. It helps in discovering and addressing risks before they can cause harm to an organization's systems or data.

3. Your organization has a fully functioning SOC but not active Threat Hunting. How would you advocate for your security organization to start Threat Hunting activities?

To advocate for starting threat hunting activities in your security organization, you can emphasize the following:

1. Proactive Defense: Threat hunting actively looks for hidden threats that may have evaded existing security measures, providing an extra layer of protection.

2. Early Detection: Threat hunting helps identify and respond to potential threats early, reducing the impact of attacks.

3. Incident Response Improvement: By proactively hunting for threats, your organization can improve incident response capabilities and develop targeted remediation strategies.

4. Mitigating Insider Threats: Threat hunting aids in detecting and mitigating risks posed by insider threats or compromised user accounts.

5. Continuous Improvement: Threat hunting promotes ongoing improvement in security practices to stay ahead of evolving threats.

6. Demonstrating Value: Threat hunting can save your organization from costly breaches and reputational damage, demonstrating a strong return on investment.

7. Industry Best Practices: Implementing threat hunting aligns with industry standards and frameworks, ensuring compliance and enhanced security posture.

8. Case Studies: Share success stories and examples of organizations that have benefited from threat hunting initiatives.

9. Training and Resources: Highlight the availability of training programs and resources to support the implementation of threat hunting within your security team.

By focusing on these points, you can effectively advocate for the adoption of threat hunting in a simpler manner.