Role of threat intelligence in proactive defence against ransomware

Ransomware attacks are among the most common and disruptive threats in cyber security today. Attackers use malicious software to lock or steal data and demand payment, often causing significant downtime and financial loss.

If you’ve visited our site with concerns about a potential ransomware incident and are unsure how to deal with it, contact Zensec immediately. Our rapid cyber incident response teams are available 24/7 to contain infected systems, protect your critical assets, and start the recovery process.

Companies are constantly searching for ways to avoid these threats rather than simply reacting once an attack occurs. One popular approach is threat intelligence. But what is threat intelligence, and which role does it play in ransomware defence? Find out everything you need to know in this article.

What is threat intelligence in ransomware defence?

Threat intelligence is actionable information about cyber threats collected from multiple sources and analysed to help guide security decisions.

Its role in ransomware defence includes providing details about ransomware groups, the tools and tactics they use, indicators of compromise (IOCs), exploited vulnerabilities, and trends in cybercrime.

There are several types of threat intelligence, and each serves a specific function in ransomware defence:

• Strategic Threat Intelligence: High-level analysis for decision-makers, including reports on new ransomware trends or changes in attacker behaviour.

• Tactical Threat Intelligence: Specific information about how ransomware attackers operate, such as standard phishing techniques or software vulnerabilities they target.

• Operational Threat Intelligence: Real-time or campaign-specific details, like warnings about active ransomware targeting specific industries or stolen credentials being circulated.

• Technical Threat Intelligence: Data that security systems can use directly, such as malicious IP addresses, domain names, file hashes, or malware signatures associated with ransomware.

Threat intelligence differs from analysing and contextualising raw data, because it’s actionable. Instead of collecting information, threat intelligence highlights the most relevant threats, vulnerabilities, and attack methods for an organisation’s risk environment.

So, how does threat intelligence work? Well, you’ll encounter it in several forms. For example, a commercial threat intelligence feed could alert you that a new ransomware variant is targeting healthcare organisations, while an industry sharing group might circulate indicators of compromise from a recent attack, including suspicious IP addresses and file signatures.

Government agencies often publish advisories about emerging threats, such as vulnerabilities being exploited by ransomware groups.

From reactive to proactive ransomware defence

Traditional ransomware defence relies on a reactive approach, where organisations use antivirus software to block malware, watch for intrusions as they occur, and use data backups for recovery if any files are encrypted.

Unfortunately, reactive security has limitations – especially against modern ransomware, where attackers frequently adopt new phishing methods that bypass standard protections.

Plus, the time between an initial breach and the deployment of ransomware can be very short, allowing little opportunity to respond.

What makes proactive ransomware defence different?

Proactive ransomware defence focuses on anticipating attacks before they happen instead of responding to them in progress. Threat intelligence plays a central role in this transition by providing insights into how attackers operate, enabling security teams to identify early signs of an attack.

So, instead of reacting to threats, teams can anticipate them and prepare, which is increasingly vital as cybercriminal tactics evolve.

In practice, proactive defence uses threat intelligence to patch vulnerabilities before attackers exploit them, or to search networks for signs of attacker activity described in intelligence reports.

Why threat intelligence is critical for proactive defence

Threat intelligence addresses several key challenges in ransomware defence:

Early warning of attack campaigns

Threat intelligence monitoring provides alerts, including threat actor conversations and dark web postings. Breach data may uncover leaked credentials and mentions of network access for sale, or signs that a ransomware group is interested in specific industries.

This information allows for defensive actions before ransomware deployment occurs.

Prioritising vulnerability patching

Ransomware often enters through unpatched vulnerabilities, but actionable threat intelligence highlights which ransomware groups are actively exploiting. It lets organisations focus on high-priority flaws, ensuring strategic intelligence.

For example, if intelligence reports indicate the exploitation of a recent VPN appliance vulnerability, patching can occur immediately rather than waiting for the next scheduled maintenance window.

Improved detection and response speed

Threat intelligence provides indicators of compromise that can be integrated into security tools.

When systems detect these indicators – such as communication with a known command-and-control server or the presence of a suspicious file – they can automatically isolate affected devices or block malicious activity.

When you implement a robust threat intelligence program, it identifies ransomware attacks in early stages before widespread file encryption occurs.

Informed defence strategies

Understanding ransomware actors’ tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) helps guide defensive planning.

For example, if intelligence shows that attackers commonly use PowerShell scripts and attempt to disable antivirus software, organisations can implement specific monitoring for those behaviours and harden their PowerShell policies.

Applying threat intelligence to proactive ransomware defence

Organisations can integrate threat intelligence tools into several areas of their security operations:

Anticipating threats and prioritising patches

Security teams regularly review intelligence reports from commercial feeds, industry groups, and government sources to identify new vulnerabilities being exploited in ransomware attacks.

The process helps prioritise patching or temporary mitigations for critical vulnerabilities before ransomware operators attempt to exploit them.

When threat intelligence sources identify a zero-day vulnerability in commonly used software, IT teams can apply patches or mitigations outside the regular schedule. This enables you to invest resources in vulnerabilities most at risk of targeting, rather than patching all systems on a fixed timeline.

Threat intelligence can also highlight common misconfigurations that ransomware actors exploit, such as default credentials or open remote access ports.

Early detection through IOCs and behaviour analytics

Endpoint detection and response (EDR) and network monitoring tools look for unusual activity, but technical threat intelligence provides these systems with up-to-date indicators of compromise and malicious behaviour patterns.

Security teams import lists of malicious domains, IP addresses, file hashes, and rules that describe ransomware activity. When a system detects a known bad indicator, it can isolate the affected device or block the activity.

Threat intelligence also supports proactive threat hunting. Analysts can search for signs of ransomware activity, such as:

• Encoded PowerShell commands in system logs

• Single accounts accessing many file shares (possible lateral movement)

• Unusual network traffic patterns to external servers

• Attempts to disable security software

Tailoring security awareness and training

Phishing and social engineering are common ways ransomware spreads. Threat intelligence allows security awareness training to address real, current threats rather than using generic examples.

If threat intelligence reveals a campaign sending phishing emails about package deliveries or health alerts, managers can immediately inform employees about these messages. Sharing actual examples of phishing emails can also help employees identify suspicious activity.

An effective threat intelligence program will also isolate which departments are under threat. For example, if attackers focus on finance staff with fake invoices, you can provide that team with additional training and phishing simulations.

Monitoring third-party and supply chain risks

Many ransomware attacks exploit weak points in the supply chain. Threat intelligence helps monitor external risks by tracking signals related to vendors, partners, and other connected organisations.

If intelligence reveals that a vendor’s credentials are available on a dark web forum or that a partner’s network is mentioned in hacker discussions, organisations can respond by restricting access or requiring credential changes.

External threat intelligence platforms may scan for exposed data or vulnerabilities in the broader digital ecosystem. If data appears on a leak site or a critical supply chain vulnerability is discovered, organisations receive alerts about these risks.

Incident response planning and exercises

Threat intelligence informs incident response plans by providing current, realistic scenarios based on ransomware groups’ operations. Intelligence on specific ransomware groups can indicate whether data theft is likely, where stolen data might be leaked, and how quickly incidents typically unfold.

Organisations may conduct tabletop exercises using threat intelligence to simulate realistic attacks during planning phases. For example, simulations might involve attackers exfiltrating data to cloud services before encrypting files or threatening to contact business partners.

Post-incident analysis also benefits from threat intelligence. After an event, analysts with human expertise can review whether the attack was part of a larger campaign, search for additional indicators in their systems, and identify targeted weaknesses.

Expert threat intelligence support for ransomware defence

Building a comprehensive threat intelligence program requires skilled analysts, access to reliable data sources, and systems that can process and act on intelligence. Many organisations find it challenging to manage large amounts of threat data and integrate it effectively into daily security operations.

Experienced security firms or managed intelligence services can help organisations implement threat intelligence programs. These specialists filter irrelevant information and focus on validated intelligence directly affecting specific sectors or technologies.

They often have access to intelligence sources and analysis tools that may not be available to in-house teams.

Get support from Zensec today

As your expert partners, we understand the cyber threat landscape and offer tactical intelligence solutions.

Our experts help intelligence feeds to security tools like SIEM systems or EDR platforms, creating detection rules tailored to specific environments and establishing processes that turn intelligence into actionable insights.

When ransomware incidents occur, our threat intelligence specialists can identify which group is behind an attack, predict what attackers might do next, and advise on communications or response strategies. We’ll also coordinate information sharing with law enforcement and other organisations.

Please contact us today for more information.

FAQs

What is proactive ransomware defence, and how does it differ from reactive approaches?

Proactive ransomware defence stops attacks before they happen using threat intelligence, continuous monitoring, and planned countermeasures to identify hidden threats and block ransomware early in the attack sequence.

Reactive defence deals with attacks only after they start, such as when security alarms trigger or ransom notes appear, often relying on backup restoration and emergency response procedures.

How does cyber threat intelligence help prevent ransomware attacks?

Cyber threat intelligence identifies how ransomware attackers operate and which entry points they commonly use, providing information on new ransomware trends, threat groups, and technical indicators of active attacks.

Organisations can close security gaps, restrict access to vulnerable systems, and configure detection tools for specific malware variants and attack techniques that are currently in use.

Where do organisations obtain threat intelligence for ransomware defence?

Organisations gather threat intelligence from internal sources, including:

• Security logs

• Incident data

• Commercial threat intelligence feeds

• Industry sharing groups (ISACs)

• Government cyber security advisories

• Open-source intelligence from security researchers

Commercial platforms can aggregate information from multiple sources and provide alerts relevant to their specific environments.

Do small and medium businesses need threat intelligence for ransomware protection?

Ransomware attackers frequently target small and medium-sized businesses and can benefit from threat intelligence even without dedicated security teams.

SMBs can access affordable or free threat feeds, participate in industry sharing groups, follow government cyber security advisories, or work with managed security providers that offer threat intelligence services as part of their protection packages.

Can threat intelligence guarantee the prevention of all ransomware attacks?

Threat intelligence significantly improves an organisation’s ability to prevent and respond to ransomware attacks, but cannot guarantee complete protection against all possible threats. New attack methods, unknown vulnerabilities, or sophisticated techniques may still succeed, so threat intelligence works best as part of a comprehensive security strategy that includes multiple defensive layers