Threat Hunting

Threat hunting is the proactive process of searching for and identifying potential security threats within an organization’s network. Threat hunting involves using a variety of tools and techniques to identify indicators of compromise (IOCs) and other signs of malicious activity within an organization’s systems and data. This can include analyzing log files, monitoring network traffic, and using data visualization and analytics tools to identify patterns or anomalies that may indicate a potential threat. Threat hunting is typically carried out by security professionals, who use their expertise and knowledge of known threats to identify potential vulnerabilities and take action to prevent or mitigate them. Threat hunting is a proactive approach to security that is designed to help organizations stay ahead of potential threats and protect against future attacks.

Here are a few examples of threat hunting tools and their respective descriptions:

• BeaKer (Beacon Kibana Executable Report) is a tool used in the process of threat hunting, which involves proactively searching for and identifying potential security threats within an organization’s network. The Beacon Kibana Executable Report is a report generated by the Kibana data visualization and analytics platform, which is part of the ELK Stack. The report includes detailed information about potentially malicious executables that have been detected on an organization’s network, including their location, size, and other relevant details. This information can be used by threat hunters to identify potential threats and take action to prevent or mitigate them. By using the Beacon Kibana Executable Report, threat hunters can more effectively identify and analyze potential threats within their network, and take the necessary steps to protect against them.
• Snort is a free and open-source intrusion detection and prevention system (IDPS) that can be used for threat hunting. Snort analyzes network traffic in real-time and uses a set of rules to identify potential security threats. When a potential threat is identified, Snort can take a range of actions, including alerting security personnel, blocking the traffic, or sending a copy of the traffic to a separate analysis tool for further analysis. Snort can be configured to look for specific indicators of compromise (IOCs) or other signs of malicious activity, and it can be used to monitor network traffic on a range of different devices and systems. Snort is often used as a tool for threat hunting by security professionals, who use it to identify potential vulnerabilities and take action to prevent or mitigate them.
• Zeek, also known as Bro, is a free and open-source network analysis tool that can be used for threat hunting. Zeek captures and analyzes network traffic in real-time, providing detailed insights into network activity and behavior. By analyzing network traffic with Zeek, security professionals can identify potential security threats and indicators of compromise (IOCs) within an organization’s network. Zeek includes a range of features and tools for analyzing and visualizing data, including log analysis, data visualization, and machine learning. It can be used to identify patterns or anomalies in network traffic that may indicate a potential threat, such as unusual traffic patterns, suspicious activity, or malicious network communications. Zeek is often used by security professionals as a tool for threat hunting, helping organizations to identify and mitigate potential security threats.
• OSSEC (Open Source Security) is an open-source host-based intrusion detection system (HIDS) designed to identify and alert on potential security threats. It is a comprehensive platform that includes a range of tools and features for threat hunting, including log analysis, file integrity monitoring, and real-time monitoring. OSSEC is designed to be highly customizable and can be configured to meet the specific needs of an organization. It is often used as a tool for research and education in the field of cybersecurity, specifically for understanding and defending against a wide range of threats. OSSEC is a powerful tool for threat hunting, as it allows users to monitor and analyze data from a variety of sources, including log files, network traffic, and system processes, in order to identify potential security threats.
• Suricata is a free and open-source network intrusion detection and prevention system (IDPS) that can be used for threat hunting. Suricata is designed to detect and alert on potential security threats within a network, including malware, viruses, and other malicious activity. It uses a range of techniques, including signature-based detection, anomaly-based detection, and behavioral analysis, to identify potential threats and alert users. Suricata can be used in a variety of ways for threat hunting, including monitoring network traffic, analyzing log files, and using data visualization and analytics tools to identify patterns or anomalies that may indicate a potential threat. Suricata is often used as part of a larger threat hunting strategy, alongside other tools and techniques, to help organizations proactively identify and mitigate potential security threats.
• Security Onion is a open-source security platform that includes a range of tools and features for threat hunting. It is based on the Linux operating system and includes a range of tools and features for capturing and analyzing network traffic, including full packet capture (FPC), log analysis, and data visualization. Security Onion is often used as a tool for research and education in the field of cybersecurity, specifically for understanding and defending against a wide range of threats. Some of the key features of Security Onion that can be used for threat hunting include:
  • Multiple honeypots: Security Onion includes a range of honeypots, including Conpot (industrial control system), Kippo (Linux), and Kojoney (SSH), as well as others such as Dionaea (Windows), Glastopf (web application), and Honeytrap (Linux). These honeypots can be used to capture and log any malicious activity or network traffic directed towards them, allowing researchers to study and analyze the tactics, techniques, and procedures used by attackers.
  • Network security monitoring (NSM): Security Onion includes a range of tools for monitoring and analyzing network traffic, including Wireshark, tcpdump, and Suricata. These tools can be used to capture and analyze network traffic in real-time, helping to identify potential threats as they occur.
  • Data visualization: Security Onion includes a range of tools for visualizing and analyzing data, including Kibana and Elasticsearch. These tools can be used to identify patterns or anomalies in data that may indicate a potential threat.
  • Log analysis: Security Onion includes a range of tools for analyzing logs and other data, including Logstash and Splunk. These tools can be used to analyze log data and identify potential threats or indicators of compromise.
• sshwatch is a tool that can be used for threat hunting by monitoring and analyzing Secure Shell (SSH) activity on a network. SSH is a network protocol that is commonly used to securely connect to and manage remote systems. SSHWatch monitors SSH activity on a network in real-time and alerts users to any unusual or suspicious activity. This can include attempts to log in with unauthorized credentials, attempts to connect from unusual locations, or attempts to execute suspicious commands. By alerting users to potential threats, SSHWatch can help organizations to quickly identify and respond to potential security threats. SSHWatch is often used as a tool for research and education in the field of cybersecurity, specifically for understanding and defending against threats to SSH services.
• Stealth program performs regular checks on the integrity of files on remote clients. Unlike other file integrity checkers, it does not require baseline data to be stored on write-only media or within the client’s file system. This makes it more stealthy, as the clients will have little indication that they are being monitored. The STEALTH program’s file integrity checks can be conducted quietly, improving the overall stealthiness of the scans.
• AIEngine is an open-source network traffic analysis platform that includes a range of tools and features for threat hunting. AIEngine uses machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze network traffic in real-time and identify potential security threats. It includes a range of features for analyzing and visualizing data, including data visualization, machine learning, and real-time monitoring. AIEngine is designed to be highly configurable and can be customized to meet the specific needs of an organization. Some of the key features of AIEngine for threat hunting include:
  • Real-time traffic analysis: AIEngine analyzes network traffic in real-time and identifies potential security threats as they occur.
  • Machine learning: AIEngine uses machine learning algorithms to analyze network traffic and identify patterns and anomalies that may indicate a potential threat.
  • Data visualization: AIEngine includes a range of tools and features for visualizing and analyzing data, including charts, graphs, and maps.
  • Customization: AIEngine is highly configurable and can be customized to meet the specific needs of an organization. Users can set up custom rules and thresholds to trigger alerts for potential threats.
• Denyhosts is a security tool that is designed to protect against brute-force attacks on Linux-based systems. It works by monitoring the system’s log files for failed login attempts and blocking the IP address of the offending host after a specified number of failed login attempts. Denyhosts can be used as a tool for threat hunting by identifying and blocking IP addresses that are attempting to access the system using brute-force tactics. This can help to prevent unauthorized access to the system and protect against potential threats. Denyhosts is often used in conjunction with other threat hunting tools and techniques to provide a comprehensive view of potential security threats within an organization’s network.
• Fail2Ban is a tool that is often used for threat hunting by security professionals. It is designed to protect servers and other systems from malicious activity by automatically banning IP addresses that are detected as attempting to compromise the system. Fail2Ban works by monitoring log files and identifying patterns that may indicate a potential threat, such as repeated login attempts or other suspicious activity. When a potential threat is detected, Fail2Ban will automatically block the IP address of the offending party, preventing them from accessing the system. This can help to prevent attacks and protect against future threats. While Fail2Ban is not specifically designed for threat hunting, it can be used as a tool to help identify and mitigate potential threats by analyzing log data and blocking suspicious activity.
• Lynis is a free and open-source security auditing tool that can be used for threat hunting. Lynis is designed to help organizations identify potential vulnerabilities and security risks within their systems and networks. It includes a range of features for analyzing system and network configurations, including log analysis, data visualization, and machine learning. Lynis can be used to identify potential security threats by analyzing log data and system configurations to identify patterns or anomalies that may indicate a potential threat. It can also be used to identify potential vulnerabilities that could be exploited by attackers, allowing organizations to take steps to address these vulnerabilities and reduce their risk of being compromised. Lynis is often used as a tool for research and education in the field of cybersecurity, specifically for understanding and defending against potential threats.
• CrowdSec is an open-source threat hunting platform that is designed to help organizations identify and mitigate potential security threats. CrowdSec uses machine learning algorithms to analyze log data and other indicators of compromise (IOCs) in order to identify potential threats. It can be used to monitor network traffic, identify patterns and anomalies, and alert users to potential security threats. CrowdSec includes a range of tools and features for threat hunting, including log analysis, data visualization, and real-time monitoring. It is often used by security professionals and researchers as a tool for identifying and mitigating potential threats to an organization’s systems and data.
• datamash is a command-line tool for performing basic data manipulation and statistical analysis on text files. It is part of the GNU Core Utilities package and is available for free under the GNU General Public License (GPL). While GNU datamash is primarily designed for performing simple data manipulation tasks, it can also be used as a tool for threat hunting by analyzing log data and identifying patterns or anomalies that may indicate a potential security threat. Some examples of how GNU datamash can be used for threat hunting include:
  • Analyzing log data to identify patterns or anomalies that may indicate a potential threat, such as a sudden increase in failed login attempts or network traffic from unusual sources.
  • Using datamash to calculate statistical measures, such as mean, median, and standard deviation, to identify unusual or outlier data points that may indicate a potential threat.
  • Using datamash to compare log data from different sources, such as firewall logs, web server logs, and system logs, to identify correlations or patterns that may indicate a potential threat.
  • Using datamash to filter and extract specific data points from log files, such as IP addresses or user names, for further analysis or investigation.
• RITA (Real Intelligence Threat Analytics) is an open-source threat hunting platform designed to provide a comprehensive view of network security by collecting and analyzing data from multiple sources, including log files, network traffic, and security alerts. RITA includes a range of tools and features for analyzing and visualizing data, including log analysis, data visualization, and machine learning. RITA is designed to be easy to use and install, making it an ideal tool for organizations looking to implement a threat hunting program. Some of the key features of RITA include:
  • Data collection and analysis: RITA collects and analyzes data from a variety of sources, including log files, network traffic, and security alerts, to identify potential threats and vulnerabilities.
  • Data visualization: RITA includes a range of tools and features for visualizing and analyzing data, including graphs, charts, and maps.
  • Machine learning: RITA includes machine learning algorithms that can help to identify patterns and anomalies in data that may indicate a potential threat.
  • Customizable dashboards: RITA includes customizable dashboards that allow users to customize the display and analysis of data to meet their specific needs.
• BZAR (Bro/Zeek ATT&CK-based Analytics and Reporting) is a tool that is used for threat hunting in cybersecurity. It is based on the MITRE ATT&CK framework, which is a widely used model for understanding and categorizing cyber threats. BZAR is designed to help security professionals identify and respond to potential security threats within their organization’s network. It does this by collecting and analyzing network traffic data, logs, and other data sources, and using machine learning and data visualization techniques to identify patterns and anomalies that may indicate a potential threat. BZAR is often used as a tool for research and education in the field of cybersecurity, specifically for understanding and defending against a wide range of threats.