Why Companies Must Share Cyber-Threat Intelligence
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Why Companies Must Share Cyber-Threat Intelligence
How can organizations prepare for and respond to increasing cyber-attacks? One promising method involves sharing information and cyber-threat intelligence. -
Held for Ransom
Respondents to the survey noted a 26% increase in ransomware from the third quarter of 2015 to the fourth quarter. -
Money for Nothing
An analysis of CryptoWall 3 ransomware by researchers linked one campaign's operations to $325 million in victim ransom payments. -
Mobile Mess
The fourth quarter of 2015 saw a 72% quarter-over-quarter increase in new mobile malware. -
Malware Multiplies
The total number of new malware samples grew to 42 million in Q4 of 2015—the second highest count ever recorded by McAfee Labs. -
Sharing Intel
Although 39% of the respondents said they know about cyber-threat intelligence (CTI) sharing, 40% admitted they don't know much about the concept, and 21% said they've never heard of it. -
Gaining Traction
91% of respondents said they are interested in receiving industry-specific CTI. Only 1% said they have no interest. -
Making a Contribution
63% said they might be willing to go beyond receiving shared CTI and contribute their own data—as long as the platform is secure and private. -
Fair Share
Respondents are most willing to share information about malware (72%), URL reputations (58%), external IP address reputations (54%), certificate reputations (43%) and file reputations (37%). -
Reasons for Not Adopting CTI
Corporate policy: 54%, Industry regulations: 24%, Lack of information about CTI: 24%, Fear that shared data would be linked back to them or their firm: 21%
If it seems as if the cyber-security landscape just keeps getting more threatening, you're not imagining things. For example, in February, Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center in Los Angeles paid 40 bitcoins—about $17,000—to unlock its computer systems after a ransomware attack shut down its IT systems for nearly two weeks. How can organizations prepare for and respond to cyber-attacks? One promising method involves sharing information and intelligence. A study of 500 cyber-security professionals conducted by Intel Security, the 2016 "McAfee Labs Threats Report," found that ransomware is rampant, and mobile malware is growing. Yet, the use of defense tools such as information sharing and cyber-threat intelligence (CTI) can pay big dividends. Unfortunately, "High-value CTI must overcome the barriers of organizational policies, regulatory restrictions, risks associated with attribution, trust and a lack of implementation knowledge before its potential can be fully realized," said Vincent Weafer, vice president of Intel Security's McAfee Labs group. "Given the determination demonstrated by cyber-criminals, CTI sharing will become an important tool in tilting the cyber-security balance of power in favor of defenders."