Threat Detection Engineering

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Threat Detection Engineering (TDE) involves designing, implementing, and refining security measures to identify and respond to threats. Here are some key topics and domains covered under TDE:

1. Threat Intelligence: Gathering, analyzing, and applying information about current threats, such as malware types, phishing tactics, and attacker techniques.
2. Attack Detection Frameworks:
   • MITRE ATT&CK: A widely used framework outlining common attack tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs).
   • Cyber Kill Chain: A model developed by Lockheed Martin that maps the stages of an attack, from reconnaissance to exfiltration.
3. Intrusion Detection and Prevention Systems (IDPS):
   • Signature-Based Detection: Using known threat patterns to identify intrusions.
   • Anomaly-Based Detection: Identifying deviations from normal behavior to spot suspicious activity.
4. Behavioral Analysis: Monitoring user and entity behavior (UEBA) to detect anomalous activities indicative of threats.
5. Threat Hunting: Proactively searching through networks and endpoints to detect threats that evade traditional security tools.
6. SIEM (Security Information and Event Management): Collecting, analyzing, and correlating security events from different sources to detect patterns indicative of threats.
7. Data Analytics & Machine Learning:
   • Leveraging machine learning models to identify patterns and anomalies that might indicate a threat.
   • Analyzing big data for threat indicators and predictive threat detection.
8. Log and Event Management: Aggregating, storing, and analyzing logs from various systems and devices to detect suspicious activity.
9. Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR): Monitoring endpoints (computers, mobile devices) for suspicious activities, enabling rapid detection and response.
10. Network Traffic Analysis (NTA): Analyzing network data for anomalies or malicious patterns, such as lateral movement or command-and-control communications.
11. Cloud Security Monitoring: Monitoring cloud environments for potential threats and security gaps, as cloud infrastructure can introduce unique challenges.
12. Vulnerability Management: Identifying, evaluating, and mitigating vulnerabilities that attackers might exploit.
13. Response Playbooks: Developing standardized playbooks for responding to specific types of threats, ensuring a coordinated and rapid response.
14. Automated Threat Detection & Response: Automating responses to low-level threats or detection tasks using SOAR (Security Orchestration, Automation, and Response) to improve response times.
15. Incident Response & Forensics:
    • Collecting and analyzing data to understand the scope and impact of a security incident.
    • Forensic investigation to uncover the root cause and prevent future incidents.

These areas are essential in building a robust threat detection engineering program that keeps up with evolving threats.