A Threat-Led Approach to Cyber Defence

November 18, 2024

In an increasingly complex and evolving cyber threat landscape, organisations need to adopt more proactive, intelligence-driven security measures to stay ahead of potential attackers.

Understanding Threat-Led Cyber Defence Architecture

As a cyber risk management consultancy, we often advocate for a Threat-Led Cyber Defence Architecture, which integrates threat intelligence with a risk-based approach to cybersecurity and resilience.

Benefits of a Risk-Based Approach to Cyber Security and Resilience

This approach not only helps businesses better defend against sophisticated attacks but also ensures resources are allocated efficiently, prioritising the most critical risks.

What Is Threat-Led Cyber Defence Architecture?

Threat-Led Cyber Defence Architecture is a cyclical security model that focuses on continuously anticipating, identifying, and mitigating threats based on actual intelligence about adversaries’ tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs).

This architecture shifts the focus from a purely reactive defence to a proactive one, enabling organisations to defend against the most likely and impactful threats.

This approach comprises a number of key components:

Threat Intelligence Integration: Threat intelligence process involves gathering and analysing data on potential and actual threats. By understanding the specific methods and targets cyber threat groups use, a company can tailor defences to address those risks that are directly pertinent. Intelligence is generated from various sources, including internal incident data, industry reports, and third-party threat feeds.

Security Controls Aligned with TTPs: A threat-led architecture aligns security controls (such as firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and endpoint protection) with the specific tactics and techniques used by cyber attackers. This ensures that defences are not generic but are designed to counter the most relevant threats. For example, deploying controls to block connections from certain countries you know you don’t do business with, particular malware variants, or techniques used in ransomware campaigns.

Continuous Monitoring and Threat Hunting: Instead of waiting for alerts after an attack has already occurred, a threat-led approach involves continuously monitoring systems and networks for indicators of compromise (IoCs) and other suspicious activities. It also includes active threat hunting, where tools proactively search for hidden threats and create alerts before they can cause damage.

Incident Response and Adaptation: A threat-led architecture emphasises rapid and efficient incident response. When a threat is detected, predefined response actions are executed swiftly to contain and mitigate the attack. Post-incident analysis helps refine defences, bespoking Predict, Protect, Detect and Respond components, and driving resilience to future attacks by similar adversaries.

Threat Modelling: Threat modelling is a critical component of this architecture, where organisations map out potential attack paths and vulnerabilities that adversaries could exploit. By identifying the most likely attack scenarios, you can prioritise elements of your defence strategy and ensure focus on the most valuable assets.

Benefits of a Risk-Based Approach to Cybersecurity and Resilience

While traditional cybersecurity approaches often rely on deploying a wide range of defences to protect all systems equally, a risk-based approach focuses on allocating resources to protect the most critical assets from the most relevant threats. This approach is highly effective for enhancing your company’s resilience and comes with several benefits:

Prioritisation of Critical Assets and Threats: A risk-based approach allows you to focus on defending the assets and processes that are most critical to your operations. Rather than spreading resources thin across all systems, you can prioritise high-value assets (such as customer data, intellectual property, or operational infrastructure), as well as regulatory compliance, and ensure you are well-protected from the threats most likely to target you.

Cost-Effective Security Investments: Cybersecurity resources are often limited. A risk-based approach ensures that security investments provide maximum impact. By understanding your specific risks within your vertical and sector, you can allocate budgets more effectively, avoiding unnecessary spending on low-risk areas and investing in stronger defences where they are needed most.

Proactive Defence Against Emerging Threats: With the continuous flow of new and evolving threats, you need to be agile and adaptive in defence. A risk-based, threat-led approach ensures that you can quickly adjust security measures to respond to emerging risks. This adaptability enhances resilience, making it harder for attackers to exploit vulnerabilities.

Regulatory Compliance and Risk Management Alignment: Many industries are subject to regulatory requirements regarding cybersecurity. A risk-based approach aligns with compliance frameworks like GDPR, PCI-DSS, and DORA, which emphasise the importance of managing and mitigating risks. By adopting a risk-based approach, you not only protect assets but also ensure you are meeting regulatory obligations.

Enhanced Business Resilience: Cyber resilience is about maintaining business operations even in the face of a successful cyberattack. A risk-based approach ensures that critical business processes have contingency plans in place and that recovery measures are prioritised for the most vital operations. This helps minimise the impact of a breach and ensures quicker recovery, reducing potential downtime and financial loss.

Improved Decision-Making and Communication: By focusing on risk, security teams can communicate more effectively with business leaders. Decisions about cybersecurity investments are based on business impact, enabling C-level executives to make informed choices about where to allocate resources and how to balance security with business objectives.

Implementing a Threat-Led, Risk-Based Cybersecurity Strategy

To implement a threat-led, risk-based cybersecurity strategy, businesses should take the following steps:

Develop and Maintain Threat Intelligence: Stay informed about the latest threats by subscribing to threat intelligence feeds, engaging with industry information sharing communities, and monitoring adversary behaviours that are relevant to your organisation.
Conduct Risk Assessments: Perform regular risk assessments to identify your most critical assets, the threats they face, and the potential business impact of a cyberattack. This assessment should drive your security investments and focus areas.
Adopt Threat Modelling and Security by Design: Use threat modelling to understand potential attack paths and vulnerabilities. Build security into systems and applications from the start, ensuring that controls are specifically designed to address the most likely and dangerous threats.
Establish Continuous Monitoring and Incident Response Capabilities: Implement tools and processes for continuous monitoring, threat hunting, and automated incident response. Your defences should adapt to evolving threats, and your incident response plans should be well-rehearsed and capable of handling real-world attacks efficiently.
Integrate Security into Business Operations: Ensure that security is aligned with business operations and objectives. Security decisions should be made with a clear understanding of the business risks and impacts, ensuring that security initiatives support the broader goals of resilience and continuity.

Enhance Cyber Resilience with Threat-Led Cyber Defence

A Threat-Led Cyber Defence Architecture, combined with a risk-based approach to cybersecurity, provides businesses with a more dynamic and effective defence against the growing cyber threat landscape.

By focusing on real-world threats, prioritising critical assets, and continuously adapting defences, organisations can protect their most valuable resources, optimise their security investments, and enhance their overall cyber resilience.