What does threat hunting aim to achieve?

Threat hunting aims to proactively search for signs of ongoing intrusions or attacks within an organization's systems and networks. This process involves an informed and skilled investigation that goes beyond traditional security measures, which often rely on automated tools and alerts based on known signatures or patterns.

Instead of simply waiting for alerts or indications of compromise, threat hunters use a combination of analytics, intelligence, and their understanding of potential attack vectors to uncover hidden threats that might not yet have been detected or that could already be causing damage. This proactive stance helps organizations to identify breaches early in the process, enabling them to respond effectively and minimize potential damage.

In contrast, enhancing firewall protection, backing up important data, and scanning for outdated software represent key components of a comprehensive security strategy but do not specifically focus on the dynamic and investigative nature of threat hunting. These tasks help to maintain security and ensure data integrity but do not inherently involve the active search for and identification of currently existing threats.