DEV Community

NoblePearl Aanat
NoblePearl Aanat

Posted on

The Pyramid of Pain: A Threat Intelligence Concept

An Intelligence concept called the "Pyramid of Pain". It's a simple way to understand how to prioritize threats and make our lives easier when dealing with bad guys on the internet!

The Pyramid of Pain is like a ranking system for threats. It's divided into six levels, from least to most severe:

  1. Hash values (like a unique ID for files)
  2. IP addresses (like a computer's address)
  3. Domain names (like a website's name)
  4. Network/host artifacts (like clues left behind on a computer)
  5. Tools (like software used for good or bad)
  6. TTPs (like the tactics and techniques used by bad guys) The levels are arranged in order of increasing severity, with TTPs being the most critical and hash values being the least. The idea is that the higher you go up the pyramid, the more critical the threat is. So, if you're dealing with a TTP, that's like the ultimate challenge!

So this is how they are labeled:
TTPs: Tough
Tools: Challenging
Network/Host Artifacts: Annoying
Domain Names: Simple
IP Addresses: Easy
Hash Values: Trivial

Understanding the Pyramid of Pain helps us:

  • Focus on the most important threats first
  • Stop bad guys from causing harm
  • Learn how they work and improve our skills
  • Get better at finding and fixing problems

Conclusion:
The Pyramid of Pain is a valuable tool for threat intelligence and incident response teams. By understanding the different levels of IOCs and prioritizing efforts accordingly, teams can enhance their threat mitigation and disruption capabilities. Remember, a proactive approach to threat intelligence is crucial in today's ever-evolving threat landscape.

Top comments (0)