THREAT INTELLIGENCE
& SECURITY RESOURCES
Real-time aggregation of cybersecurity intelligence from CISA, NIST, MITRE ATT&CK, and global security research organizations. Live threat data, vulnerability tracking, and security frameworks.
ACCESS INTELLIGENCE CENTER
SECURITY OPERATIONS CENTER (SOC) & PENETRATION TESTING
A Security Operations Center (SOC) serves as the nerve center of an organization's cybersecurity defense infrastructure. SOC analysts continuously monitor networks, systems, and applications 24/7/365, detecting and responding to security incidents in real-time. Through advanced threat intelligence platforms like CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, behavioral analytics, and correlation of security events across multiple data sources, SOC teams identify anomalies, investigate potential breaches, and coordinate incident response efforts to minimize damage and recovery time.
SOC operations implement and continuously monitor the CIA Triad, a foundational security model ensuring comprehensive protection across three critical dimensions. Confidentiality ensures data is accessible only to authorized users through encryption, access control, and multi-factor authentication. Integrity maintains the accuracy and trustworthiness of data using checksums, cryptographic hashing, and audit trails to detect unauthorized modifications. Availability guarantees systems and data remain accessible when needed through redundancy, failover mechanisms, proactive patch management, and DDoS mitigation strategies. SOC analysts enforce CIA Triad principles across all organizational assets through continuous monitoring and incident response.
SOC teams conduct systematic Risk Assessment to identify, analyze, and evaluate threats to organizational assets. This process begins with asset identification to determine what requires protection, followed by threat modeling to understand potential attack vectors. Vulnerability assessments identify weaknesses in systems and controls, while impact analysis determines potential damage from successful exploits. Risk likelihood estimation quantifies the probability of each threat materializing. SOC analysts leverage these assessments to prioritize monitoring efforts, allocate resources effectively, and inform risk management decisions that strengthen the organization's overall security posture.
Organizations increasingly adopt Zero Trust architectures, a modern security framework based on "never trust, always verify." This approach assumes no implicit trust exists inside or outside the network. Zero Trust implementations require least privilege access controls, continuous authentication and authorization mechanisms, and microsegmentation to isolate critical assets. Strong identity management combined with context-aware policies—evaluating device posture, user location, time of access, and behavioral patterns—ensures access decisions remain dynamic and risk-informed. Zero Trust shifts security focus from defending network perimeters to protecting users, assets, and data directly, regardless of location or network boundary.
Penetration testing complements SOC operations by proactively identifying vulnerabilities before malicious actors can exploit them. Ethical hackers simulate real-world attack scenarios using frameworks like MITRE ATT&CK, testing network perimeters, applications, and security controls to uncover weaknesses in defensive postures. Testing methodologies include black box testing (no prior knowledge), white box testing (full system knowledge), and gray box testing (partial knowledge), each providing unique insights into security gaps.
Value to Organizations: Comprehensive security operations reduce breach probability by 60-80%, minimize incident response times from days to hours, ensure regulatory compliance (GDPR, HIPAA, PCI-DSS), and protect brand reputation. CISA reports that organizations with 24/7 SOC monitoring experience 40% fewer successful breaches.
SOC Analyst Best Practices
Real-Time Monitoring
Continuous threat intelligence aggregation from global security operations centers and threat feeds
Daily Events
Security events monitored across worldwide threat intelligence networks and honeypot systems
Coverage
Worldwide threat data aggregated from Fortinet, Kaspersky, CheckPoint, and research networks
LATEST INTELLIGENCE
"How many states are there in the United States?", (Sun, Jan 18th)
I've seen many API requests for different LLMs in the honeypot logs.
Black Basta Ransomware Leader Added to EU Most Wanted and INTERPOL Red Notice
Ukrainian and German law enforcement authorities have identified two Ukrainians suspected of working for the Russia-linked ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) group Black Basta. In addition, the group's...
Tennessee Man Pleads Guilty to Repeatedly Hacking Supreme Court’s Filing System
Nicholas Moore pleaded guilty to repeatedly hacking the U.S. Supreme Court’s filing system and illegally accessing computer systems belonging to AmeriCorps and the Department of...
Wireshark 4.6.3 Released, (Sat, Jan 17th)
Wireshark release 4.6.3 fixes 4 vulnerabilities and 9 bugs.
OpenAI to Show Ads in ChatGPT for Logged-In U.S. Adults on Free and Go Plans
OpenAI on Friday said it would start showing ads in ChatGPT to logged-in adult U.S. users in both the free and ChatGPT Go tiers in...
More Problems for Fortinet: Critical FortiSIEM Flaw Exploited
CVE-2025-64155, a command injection vulnerability, was disclosed earlier this week and quickly came under attack from a variety of IP addresses.
GootLoader Malware Uses 500–1,000 Concatenated ZIP Archives to Evade Detection
The JavaScript (aka JScript) malware loader called GootLoader has been observed using a malformed ZIP archive that's designed to sidestep detection efforts by concatenating anywhere...
In Other News: FortiSIEM Flaw Exploited, Sean Plankey Renominated, Russia’s Polish Grid Attack
Other noteworthy stories that might have slipped under the radar: BodySnatcher agentic AI hijacking, Telegram IP exposure, shipping systems hacked by researcher. The post In...
CISOs Rise to Prominence: Security Leaders Join the Executive Suite
Security professionals are moving up the executive ranks as enterprises face rising regulatory and compliance standards.
Monnai Raises $12 Million for Identity and Risk Data Infrastructure
The company will use the investment to accelerate the adoption of its solution among financial institutions and digital businesses. The post Monnai Raises $12 Million...
Project Eleven Raises $20 Million for Post-Quantum Security
The startup is building the necessary infrastructure and tools to help organizations transition to post-quantum computing. The post Project Eleven Raises $20 Million for Post-Quantum...
Five Malicious Chrome Extensions Impersonate Workday and NetSuite to Hijack Accounts
Cybersecurity researchers have discovered five new malicious Google Chrome web browser extensions that masquerade as human resources (HR) and enterprise resource planning (ERP) platforms like...
AI System Reduces Attack Reconstruction Time From Weeks to Hours
Pacific Northwest National Labs' expert cybersecurity system, ALOHA, can recreate attacks and test them against organizations' infrastructure to bolster defense.
ISC Stormcast For Friday, January 16th, 2026 https://isc.sans.edu/podcastdetail/9770, (Fri, Jan 16th)
AVEVA Process Optimization
View CSAF Summary Successful exploitation of these vulnerabilities could enable an attacker to execute remote code, perform SQL injection, escalate privileges, or access sensitive information....
Battling Cryptojacking, Botnets, and IABs [Guest Diary], (Thu, Jan 15th)
[This is a Guest Diary by Matthew Presnal, an ISC intern as part of the SANS.edu BACS program]
Festo Firmware
View CSAF Summary Incomplete Festo product documentation of remote accessible functions and their required IP ports. Depending on the product a description of the supported...
Schneider Electric EcoStruxure Power Build Rapsody
View CSAF Summary Schneider Electric is aware of a vulnerability in its EcoStruxure Power Build Rapsody software. The [EcoStruxure Power Build Rapsody](https://www.se.com/ww/en/product-country-selector/?pageType=product-range&sourceId=2309) is used to...
Siemens Industrial Edge Devices
View CSAF Summary Siemens Industrial Edge Devices contain an authorization bypass vulnerability that could facilitate an unauthenticated remote attacker to circumvent authentication and impersonate a...
Patch Tuesday, January 2026 Edition
Microsoft today issued patches to plug at least 113 security holes in its various Windows operating systems and supported software. Eight of the vulnerabilities earned...
Who Benefited from the Aisuru and Kimwolf Botnets?
Our first story of 2026 revealed how a destructive new botnet called Kimwolf rapidly grew to infect more than two million devices by mass-compromising a...
The Kimwolf Botnet is Stalking Your Local Network
The story you are reading is a series of scoops nestled inside a far more urgent Internet-wide security advisory. The vulnerability at issue has been...
Happy 16th Birthday, KrebsOnSecurity.com!
KrebsOnSecurity.com celebrates its 16th anniversary today! A huge "thank you" to all of our readers -- newcomers, long-timers and drive-by critics alike. Your engagement this...
CVE Vulnerability Search
IOC Analysis (VirusTotal)
MITRE ATT&CK Technique ID
MITRE ATT&CK Keyword Search
GLOBAL THREAT INTELLIGENCE MAP
Real-time visualization of cyber attacks across the globe from leading threat intelligence sources
Threat Intelligence Sources
SECURITY FRAMEWORKS
Comprehensive intelligence sources and industry-standard frameworks
MITRE ATT&CK
Adversary tactics and techniques knowledge base updated quarterly with real-world threat intelligence and attack patterns
ACCESS FRAMEWORKNIST CSF 2.0
Cybersecurity Framework covering Identify, Protect, Detect, Respond, Recover with enhanced risk management capabilities
ACCESS FRAMEWORKCYBER KILL CHAIN
Lockheed Martin's 7-phase framework for understanding cyber attack methodology and defensive strategies
ACCESS FRAMEWORKCVE DATABASE
NIST National Vulnerability Database with CVSS scoring, exploit availability, and patch information
SEARCH CVEsTHREAT MAPS
Live visualization of global cyber attack activity from Fortinet, Kaspersky, and CheckPoint intelligence sources
VIEW LIVE MAPCLOUD SECURITY
CSPM resources and security guidelines for AWS, Azure, Google Cloud with shared responsibility models
ACCESS RESOURCESCOMPUTER TECH SUPPORT
Common computer issues and troubleshooting solutions
System Performance Degradation
Slow boot times, application lag, and general system sluggishness. Check background processes using Task Manager, scan for malware with updated antivirus, clean temporary files and browser cache, check disk fragmentation status, verify RAM usage and upgrade if consistently above 80%, update all drivers through Device Manager, disable unnecessary startup programs.
Blue Screen of Death (BSOD)
System crashes with error codes. Note the STOP error code displayed, check all hardware connections and seating, update all system drivers especially graphics and chipset, run Windows Memory Diagnostic tool, check disk health with CHKDSK command, verify system file integrity with SFC /scannow command, review Event Viewer logs for patterns, test hardware components individually.
Software Installation Failures
Applications won't install or crash during setup. Verify system meets minimum requirements listed by vendor, check available disk space (minimum 20% free recommended), temporarily disable antivirus and firewall, run installer as administrator with elevated privileges, check installation logs in %temp% folder for specific errors, ensure Windows Update service is current, clean registry entries from previous failed installations.
Boot and Startup Errors
Computer won't start or gets stuck during boot. Access Safe Mode by pressing F8 during startup, check BIOS boot order settings and verify boot drive priority, run Startup Repair from Windows recovery environment, rebuild boot configuration with bootrec /fixmbr and bootrec /fixboot commands, check hard drive health and physical connections, restore system to last known good configuration, verify power supply is functioning correctly.
Hardware Recognition Issues
USB devices, peripherals, or drives not detected. Verify all physical connections are secure, test device on another computer to isolate issue, check Device Manager for yellow exclamation marks or errors, update or rollback device drivers, disable and re-enable USB Root Hub in Device Manager, check BIOS settings for disabled ports or controllers, test different USB ports and cables.
Overheating and Thermal Issues
System running hot with unexpected shutdowns. Clean dust from vents, fans, and heatsinks using compressed air, verify proper airflow around computer case, check all fans are operational in BIOS hardware monitor, replace thermal paste on CPU if system is over 3 years old, monitor temperatures with HWMonitor or similar tools, ensure adequate cooling solution for hardware specifications, check room temperature and ventilation.
Computer Support Best Practices
Regular System Updates
Keep operating systems, applications, and firmware updated to patch security vulnerabilities and improve system stability. Schedule automatic updates during off-hours.
Automated Backup Strategy
Implement 3-2-1 backup rule: maintain 3 copies of data, store on 2 different media types, keep 1 copy offsite or in cloud storage. Test restores regularly.
Preventive Maintenance
Schedule regular disk cleanup, defragmentation for HDDs, malware scans, and hardware health checks. Document maintenance activities and results.
User Training Programs
Educate users on proper system usage, password hygiene, phishing awareness, and basic troubleshooting steps to reduce support tickets.
Documentation Standards
Maintain detailed records of system configurations, software licenses, hardware specifications, and troubleshooting procedures for quick reference.
Hardware Lifecycle Management
Track hardware age and performance, plan proactive replacements before failures occur, maintain spare parts inventory for critical components.
WINDOWS SECURITY EVENT IDs - SOC ANALYST ESSENTIALS
Critical Event IDs every SOC analyst should monitor for threat detection and incident response
Core Authentication & Logon
Account Creation / Modification / Backdoors
Lateral Movement (High Signal)
Privilege Escalation
Process & Execution (Sysmon Recommended)
(Native Windows has gaps; Sysmon fills them)
Persistence
NETWORK TECH SUPPORT
Common network issues and troubleshooting solutions
Intermittent Connectivity Issues
Connection drops or unstable network access. Check all cable connections for loose or damaged cables, restart router and modem with proper power cycle (30 seconds off), update router firmware to latest version, analyze WiFi signal strength and interference with tools like WiFi Analyzer, verify DNS settings are correct (test with Google DNS 8.8.8.8), check for IP address conflicts on the network, test with wired connection to isolate WiFi issues.
Slow Network Performance
Poor speeds and high latency. Test bandwidth with speed test tools like Ookla, check for network congestion during peak hours, update network adapter drivers on all devices, optimize QoS settings on router, identify bandwidth-heavy applications with Resource Monitor, check for unauthorized devices on network, verify ISP is delivering promised speeds, consider upgrading network hardware if bottlenecked.
IP Address Conflicts
Devices can't connect due to duplicate IP addresses. Release and renew IP addresses using ipconfig /release and ipconfig /renew commands, configure DHCP server properly with adequate address pool, assign static IP addresses to servers and network devices outside DHCP range, check for rogue DHCP servers on network, document all static IP assignments, use IP scanner tools to identify conflicts, implement proper IP address management policies.
VPN Connection Failures
Unable to establish or maintain VPN connections. Verify user credentials are correct and not expired, check firewall rules allow VPN protocols (IPSec, L2TP, OpenVPN), update VPN client software to latest version, test alternate VPN protocols if available, review security certificate validity and trust chain, check for ISP blocking VPN traffic, verify server address and port settings, test internet connection stability before VPN connection.
DNS Resolution Problems
Websites won't load despite internet connection. Flush DNS cache with ipconfig /flushdns command, verify DNS server settings in network adapter properties, test with alternate DNS servers (Google 8.8.8.8, Cloudflare 1.1.1.1), check hosts file for incorrect entries at C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc, restart DNS Client service, verify router DNS settings, check for DNS hijacking or malware, use nslookup command to diagnose DNS issues.
Wireless Signal Interference
WiFi performance issues in specific areas. Perform site survey to identify dead zones and interference sources, change WiFi channel to less congested frequency using WiFi analyzer tools, adjust router placement for optimal coverage, upgrade to dual-band or tri-band router for better performance, add WiFi extenders or mesh network nodes for large areas, reduce interference from microwave ovens, cordless phones, and Bluetooth devices.
Network Support Best Practices
Network Documentation
Maintain detailed topology diagrams, IP addressing schemes, VLAN configurations, and equipment specifications. Update documentation with every network change.
Proactive Monitoring
Deploy network monitoring tools to track bandwidth usage, device health, latency, packet loss, and security threats in real-time with alerting.
Regular Firmware Updates
Keep router, switch, firewall, and access point firmware current to patch vulnerabilities and add features. Schedule during maintenance windows.
Network Segmentation
Implement VLANs to separate traffic by department, guest networks, and IoT devices. Apply appropriate security policies to each segment.
Bandwidth Management
Configure QoS policies to prioritize critical traffic (VoIP, video conferencing), implement traffic shaping, monitor and plan for capacity growth.
Security Hardening
Change default credentials, disable unused services and ports, implement strong encryption (WPA3), regular security audits, intrusion detection systems.