What does "threat intelligence" refer to?

Threat intelligence refers to the information and insights that organizations gather to comprehend the potential threats to their assets and overall operations. This encompasses a broad range of data, including indicators of compromise (IoCs), knowledge about threat actors, attack vectors, and vulnerabilities that may be exploited in cyberattacks. The goal of threat intelligence is to equip organizations with the necessary understanding to proactively defend against cyber threats and to improve their incident response capabilities.

By analyzing this intelligence, organizations can make informed decisions about their security posture, prioritize risks based on context and relevance, and implement measures to protect against specific threats that they are likely to face. This approach helps in building a more resilient cybersecurity strategy, enabling a better allocation of resources where they are most needed.

Other options, while relevant in specific contexts, do not capture the full scope of what threat intelligence entails. For example, data from previous security incidents is a valuable resource for enhancing security measures but is just one component of the broader threat intelligence landscape. Similarly, reports on employee behavior may provide insights for internal security policies, and statistics on network traffic help in monitoring systems, but neither addresses the strategic understanding of external threats that threat intelligence specifically aims to provide.