Cyber threat intelligence (CTI) refers to the process of collecting, analysing and disseminating information about cyber threats and vulnerabilities. It is a proactive approach to security that involves continuously monitoring for threats, analysing the potential impact of those threats, and taking action to mitigate them. CTI comes from a variety of sources, including government agencies, private sector organisations and open-source information. It can be gathered through a variety of methods, including network monitoring, social media monitoring, and human intelligence gathering.
One of the key aspects in threat intelligence is the importance of contextualising threat data. Simply collecting data about threats is not enough. It is important to understand the context in which the threats are occurring to effectively classify, prioritise and ultimately respond to them. This includes understanding the motivations of sophisticated threat actors, the tactics, techniques and procedures (TTPs) they are using, and the potential impact on a target organisation.
Another key aspect of threat intelligence is its timeliness. To be effective, threat intelligence must be collected and analysed in real-time, so that organisations can take timely action to activate defences against specific threats. The rapid advancement of generative AI technologies, as seen through large language models and autonomous agents, has both increased the threat surface and introduced new tools for defenders to identify, contextualise, and respond to cyber threats with greater precision. Artificial intelligence and machine learning can help organisations sift through large volumes of data to identify patterns and trends that may indicate a potential threat. They can also be used to automate the analysis process, allowing analysts to focus on more high-level tasks such as developing response plans and communicating with stakeholders.
Information sharing plays a crucial role in effective threat intelligence. In today's interconnected world, it is important for organisations to share information about threats with one another to better understand the broader cyber threat landscape. This can be done through a variety of channels as mentioned earlier on, typically facilitated through specialised open-source or proprietary threat intelligence sharing platforms. Increased adoption of zero-trust architecture and cross-sector collaboration frameworks, such as the European Cyber Shield initiative launched in 2024, have
further reinforced the importance of transparent, rapid threat data exchange across borders and industries.
CTI plays a pivotal role in our efforts of addressing cyber risk:
First, it helps organisations stay ahead of potential threats by providing them with advance warning of potential attacks. This allows organisations to take proactive measures to protect themselves, rather than simply reacting to attacks after they have occurred.
Threat intelligence helps organisations prioritise their cyber security efforts by providing them with insight into the most pressing threats facing their industry or region. This can help organisations allocate their resources more effectively, ensuring that they are able to address the most pressing threats first.
In addition to supporting organisations in protecting themselves from cyber threats, threat intelligence can also be used to support law enforcement and national security efforts. By sharing information about threats and vulnerabilities with relevant authorities, organisations can help to disrupt and prevent cyber-attacks before they occur. This has become particularly crucial considering the global surge in state-sponsored cyber operations and AI-powered disinformation campaigns observed throughout 2024 and 2025.
It is important for organisations to carefully evaluate the potential risks and benefits of using threat intelligence and to ensure that they are compliant with all relevant laws and regulations. The Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) regulation, which has become applicable from 17 January 2025, puts a lot of emphasis on the use of CTI by financial entities as part of their security operations and resilience testing. One core pillar of the regulation is dedicated to information sharing arrangements, with the main objective being that of encouraging voluntary collaboration among trusted parties within the financial services community. This collaboration aims to:
enhance the digital operational resilience of financial entities
raise awareness on ICT risks and cyber security threats
minimise ICT threats’ ability to spread
support entities’ defensive and detection techniques, mitigation strategies or response and recovery stages.
In summary, threat intelligence is considered a valuable tool for helping organisations identify, prevent, and mitigate potential cyber-attacks. By collecting and analysing information about threats and vulnerabilities in real-time, organisations can stay ahead of potential threats, allocate their resources more effectively, and ensure that they are in compliance with all relevant laws and regulations. With cyber threats becoming more sophisticated and increasingly intertwined with geopolitical and AI-driven risks, maintaining a robust and adaptive threat intelligence capability is no longer optional—it is foundational to the digital resilience of your organisation.
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