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What is IT Threat Monitoring

IT threat monitoring generally refers to the process of continuously monitoring networks and their components (including servers, workstations and other equipment) to detect any signs of security threats. These could, for example, be intrusion attempts or data theft. It is an all-encompassing term for surveillance or a network against all kinds of malicious activity.

IT professionals rely on IT threat monitoring to gain visibility into their networks and the users accessing them. The idea here is to enable greater data protection and prevent, or at least reduce, the possible damage that could be caused by breaches.

In today's world, where it is not at all uncommon to see organisations employing independent contractors, remote workers, and even internal staff using their own devices in the workplace, there is an additional risk to organisations' sensitive data. Without any direct control over these third-party devices, the only option is to effectively monitor all activities.

How IT threat monitoring works

IT threat monitoring consists of continuous monitoring and subsequent evaluation of security data with the aim of identifying cyber attacks and data breaches. IT threat monitoring systems collect various information about the environment. They acquire this information using different methods. They may use sensors and agents running on servers. Some will also rely on analysing traffic patterns or analysing system logs and journals. The idea is to quickly identify specific patterns that are indicative of a potential threat or a real security incident. Ideally, IT threat monitoring systems try to identify threats before they have negative consequences.

Once a threat is identified, some systems have a validation process to ensure that the threat is real and not a false positive. Several methods can be used for this purpose, including manual analysis. Once an identified threat is confirmed, an alert is issued notifying the appropriate personnel that some corrective action needs to be taken. Alternatively, some IT threat monitoring systems will also launch some form of countermeasure or remediation. This may be a custom-defined action or script or, as is often the case with the best systems, a fully automated response based on the threat discovered. Some systems will also allow the combination of automated, pre-defined and customised actions for the best possible response.

In concrete terms, malware monitoring systems should:

There are several threat monitoring tools available online, such as OpenCTI: if you are unable to implement one of these solutions yourself, contact your IT consultant or contact our support.