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What Role Does a Threat Intelligence Analyst Have in a Company

Threat intelligence is a rapidly growing field. Evidence-based information is made up of indicators or mechanisms of compromise, implications and advice, regarding emerging or existing threats to valuable assets. IT professionals use such intelligence to make decisions, form plans of action and act accordingly.

Why is Cyber Threat Intelligence Vital?

While most think threat intelligence is an assemblage of indicators of compromise or a listing of limited information about specific threats to security, there's much more to it than that. Many companies don't even have a full understanding of their assets, infrastructures, operations, and personnel so they are quite ignorant of what vulnerabilities they are making available to those with malicious intent.

Cyber threat intelligence assists in identifying vulnerabilities in our procedures so we can be prepared for possible threats. It also helps us identify active attacks and deal with the threat quickly to prevent or minimize damage and data loss.

Large corporations hire threat intelligence analysts or outsource such services to help proactively identify risks in their organizations. Analysts run thorough analyses, digital forensics, target adversaries and monitor infrastructures so they can assess, identify and counter dangerous outside threats.

Threat Intelligence Analysts Requirements

Essential Skills and Background

Professional intelligence offices and cyber threat analysts who apply their scientific and technical knowledge to resolving intricate intelligence problems can provide short- or long-term assessments for corporations and report their findings. Such work requires that the analyst be highly functional, creative, and proactive with a strong technical background.

Strong analysts benefit from their ability to ascertain what's true and what's false, aided by their technical skills and interest in cybersecurity. Ideally, those analysts should possess a Bachelor's or Master's degree in computer engineering, computer science, cybersecurity, digital forensics, or telecommunication with a minimum GPA of 3.0 within a 4-point scale. Certifications like Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) and Offensive Security Certified Professional (OSCP) would be of benefit to such analysts as well.

Hands-on Training

Threat intelligence analysts would do well to have strong verbal communication and writing skills as they need to be as clear and concise as possible when passing along the results of an assessment. The analysts will require excellent analytical skills with the ability to consider the conventional and the non-conventional. They should be able to think outside the box.

While many think they have what it takes to begin a career as a cyber threat intelligence analyst, they still find that the job is complex, based on trial and error, and time-consuming. The position requires a strong computer background and strong language skills. Most have one or the other, but not often both.

What to Look For

Threat intelligence analysis in a company requires intelligence professionals who use their background, experience, and knowledge of security issues to prevent problems by forming plans of action to fortify security within infrastructures and to effectively deal with active threats. The role they serve is invaluable to companies of all sizes.

The most important skill these professionals possess is their analytical skill. When it comes to threat intelligence analysis in a company, it's more of an art form based on insight and intuition as opposed to being an exact science. With the growing number of threats across our global digital landscape, businesses should acquire the services of a reputable threat intelligence service provider like Threat Intelligence Platform or hire such an analyst to work for them.