Which type of threat intelligence identifies current attacks and indicators of compromise (IOCs) and is used by security and forensic analysts, as well as incident responders?

Operational threat intelligence is focused on identifying current attacks and their indicators of compromise (IOCs), making it essential for security and forensic analysts, as well as incident responders. This type of intelligence provides information on ongoing threats, tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) used by adversaries, enabling organizations to understand their threat landscape better and respond effectively to incidents.

Security professionals rely on operational intelligence for real-time insights into threats that are actively targeting their environments, allowing them to make timely decisions about remediation and mitigation strategies. By understanding the nuances of current attacks, organizations can enhance their security posture, enabling proactive measures rather than reactive ones.

In contrast, other types of intelligence serve different purposes. Tactical intelligence focuses on specific vulnerabilities and exploits that attackers use but does not provide the real-time context of ongoing attacks. Strategic intelligence provides high-level insights and trends about the threat landscape over longer periods, which may not be actionable in immediate response scenarios. OSINT involves gathering information from publicly available sources, but while it can contribute valuable insights, it does not target the immediate needs of incident response or the specific details of current threats.