The case for forecasting cyberattacks

[Commentary] The time has come to empower overtaxed security staff with actionable cyber security intelligence achieved through a "threat forecasting" approach to protection.

Simply defined, threat forecasting focuses on understanding what's happening on the attack landscape and which threats expose specific organizations to the most severe danger at any given time. Forecasting is essential for understanding any type of risk and threat forecasting brings remarkable advantages in cyber security. To adopt and benefit from this proactive approach, organizations need to first determine what kind of early warning intelligence they can readily acquire and apply. Fresh approaches to threat forecasting can lessen the prevalence of cookie-cutter security programs by tailoring activities to cut through the clutter of reports, leads, and gut instincts clouding security professionals' decision-making. Regardless of any threat's intensity, what matters most is knowing whether it's merely interesting – or imminent.

[Pirc is Vice President at NSS Labs]