| | OCTOBER 2024ENTERPRISE SECURITY8IN MY OPINIONIN MY OPINIONMORE INTELLIGENT THREAT INTELLIGENCE ­ LEVEL UP YOUR TEAMBy Ryan Halstead, Director - Head of Cyber Defense and Threat Intelligence, Jack Henry & AssociatesThe phrase "intelligence drives operations" is more than a concept; it's a central truth about how we organize our knowledge to design defenses that ultimately keep our services online, our data private, and our customers happy. Moreover, cyber intelligence informs the strategic decision-making processes at the enterprise level by providing context and understanding of the cyber threat landscape.In my experience, cyber intel can be a compass or a distraction. How many Cozy Bears do you have in your house? Are the spiders scattered? It quickly becomes overwhelming. How can you make sense of the chaos? Let's explore five concepts I've learned to level up your cyber intelligence team.PRIORITIZE THOUGHT DIVERSITYEvery high-functioning threat intelligence team will place a priority on thought diversity. From creative problem-solving to cultural competence, having a diverse team of different backgrounds will only increase your success as a cyber intelligence practitioner. A diverse team can better understand and communicate with a wide range of stakeholders, including clients, executives, and technical experts.Perhaps more importantly, diversity can provide dissenting opinions that challenge accepted narratives or assumptions. Overall, thought diversity fosters a more dynamic and adaptive team, better equipped to navigate the constantly changing landscape of threats and the actors behind the threats. INCREASE YOUR AGILITYThe ability to rapidly reorganize and theory craft is predicated on infrastructure and team members who can quickly reframe information when new data is introduced, especially data that is contrary to what we previously understood. If you aren't already using automated tools, workflows, and systems to continuously monitor for new threats, vulnerabilities, and emerging trends in the cybersecurity landscape, you are behind the ball.Develop the capability to rapidly collect, analyze, and disseminate threat intelligence in real time, allowing the team to respond quickly to evolving threats. While these tools can be purchased off the shelf, budget-conscious teams can also Ryan Halstead
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