What is Threat Management?

What is threat management?

Threat management is a process that is used by cybersecurity professionals to prevent cyberattacks, detect cyberthreats and respond to security incidents.

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Why is threat management important?

Most security teams face information fragmentation, which can lead to gaps in visibility in security operations. And wherever they exist, blind spots compromise a team’s ability to identify, protect against and respond to security threats promptly.

Today’s dangers now include mutating software, advanced persistent threats (APT), insider threats, and vulnerabilities around cloud-based computing services—more than antivirus software can handle. With the ever-disappearing perimeter of a protected IT infrastructure and remote workforce, enterprises constantly face new complex risks and security threats.

Against the backdrop of this evolving threat landscape and the shift to cloud, security professionals work on the assumption that breaches have occurred and will occur again.

Enhanced with automation and informed by AI, a cyberthreat management system can help counter today’s advanced attacks by cybercriminals. It gives security teams the visibility that they need to succeed. Unifying security data enables security teams to identify data at risk and vulnerabilities across networks on thousands of endpoints and between clouds.

Threats from inside an organization are dangerous in the realm of cybersecurity. And insider attacks are more costly for organizations than external threats. Learn what insider threats are and how to mitigate them.

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How threat management works

Many modern threat management systems use the cybersecurity framework that is established by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). NIST provides comprehensive guidance to improve information security and cybersecurity risk management for private sector organizations. One of their guides, the NIST Cybersecurity Framework (NIST CF), consists of standards, best practices and five core functions, namely to identify, protect, detect, respond and recover.

Identify

Cybersecurity teams need a thorough understanding of the organizations most important assets and resources. The identify function includes categories such as asset management, business environment, governance, risk assessment, risk management strategy and supply chain risk management.

Protect

The protect function covers much of the technical and physical security controls for developing and implementing appropriate safeguards and protecting critical infrastructure. These categories are identity and access management (IAM), awareness and training, data security, information protection processes and procedures, maintenance and protective technology.

Detect

The detect function implements measures that alert an organization to cyberattacks. Detect categories include anomalies and events, continuous security monitoring and early detection processes.

Respond

The respond function ensures an appropriate response to cyberattacks and other cybersecurity events. Categories include response planning, communications, analysis, mitigation and improvements.

Recover

Recovery activities implement plans for cyber resilience and help ensure business continuity in the event of a cyberattack, security breach or another cybersecurity event. The recovery functions are recovery planning improvements and communications.

Threat management technology

Today's enterprise organizations install security operation centers (SOC) equipped with modern technology, like AI, to efficiently detect, manage and respond to threats. By implementing AI-powered technology and an open, modular range of threat management solutions and services, organizations can use less time and resources integrating and operating fragmented tools and data sources.

The technology can establish efficient, interconnected data exchange, analytics and response processes that transform and enhance security operations capabilities. Vendors can deliver threat management solutions like software, software as a service (SaaS) or as managed services based on client requirements.

Solution providers can also custom design, build, manage or provide the tools to deliver all aspects of the threat management lifecycle. They support SOC teams with the same AI-powered threat detection and investigation tools and threat management solutions and services to get the most value out of existing resources and investments.

IBM X-Force Threat Intelligence Index

Gain insights to prepare and respond to cyberattacks with greater speed and effectiveness with the IBM X-Force® Threat Intelligence Index.

Resources

Cost of a Data Breach Report

Learn how AI is transforming the threat landscape for attackers and defenders alike and gain up-to-date insights into cybersecurity threats and their financial impacts on organizations.

IBM named a Leader in Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Access Management

Learn how IBM leads in access management with secure authentication, SSO and adaptive access, recognized as a Leader for the third year in a row.

Securing non-human identities: Identifying and eliminating identity-based threats

Learn how identity-based attacks are rising and how to respond, with key insights from the X-Force® Threat Intelligence Index on credential theft, phishing and identity security.

IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Identity Security Vendor Assessment

Learn how integrated identity platforms simplify access across hybrid environments with smarter visibility, adaptive governance and AI-powered threat detection.