Top 5 Threat Intelligence Feeds for Better Threat Hunting

Cyber threats move fast, and keeping up can feel like a never-ending battle. That's where threat intelligence feeds come in-they give you real-time insights into emerging attacks so you can respond before they become a bigger problem.

Threat intelligence is so important that, in 2023, the global threat intelligence market was worth $13.5 billion, and it's expected to grow significantly, reaching $43.3 billion by 2033 according to AlliedMarketResearch. Also, FortuneBusinessInsights states that 75% of organizations actively use threat intelligence regularly.

With such a rapidly growing market and widespread adoption, it's clear that threat intelligence feeds play a big role in cybersecurity. But what exactly are they, why do they matter, and which ones stand out? This article breaks it all down.

What are Threat Intelligence Feeds?

A threat feed is a stream of data about potential and active security threats. This includes unusual domains, malware signatures, IP addresses, and other indicators of compromise (IoCs) to help you detect and respond to cyber threats.

The purpose of threat intelligence is to help you understand and manage threats better, provide context to unusual activities, and allow you to act fast when needed. IBM indicates that security teams analyze feeds to search "for potential global threats and attacks and plan remediation actions."

Threat feeds are essential to keep you up-to-date with the latest in the cyber threat landscape. Aggregating data from vendors, government agencies, and dark web monitoring, these feeds give you a complete view of the current threat environment.

Security pros use threat feeds to detect, analyze, and respond to incoming attacks, making them an essential tool in modern cybersecurity. Structured Threat Information Expression (STIX) is used to enable automated threat feeds and interoperability so you can normalize and use different forms of threat data within your cybersecurity solutions like Microsoft Sentinel.

Moreover, cyber threat intelligence (CTI) is the existing or potential threats to systems and users, helping you track and monitor evolving threats over time. These feeds are updated daily, weekly, or even hourly so the data is current and relevant. This is important to power analytics rules for threat detection in Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) solutions, inform event detection, and bolster prevention.

Threat intelligence feeds give organizations a stream of real-time data on potential security threats, helping them spot suspicious activity. But simply having raw data isn't enough, cybersecurity teams need to analyze and put that information into context to make it truly useful.

Similar to what we did with threat intelligence vs threat hunting, it's good to clarify the difference between threat intelligence and threat feeds that come into play.

Threat Intelligence vs Threat Feeds

While the terms "threat intelligence" and "threat feeds" are used interchangeably, they have different meanings in cybersecurity. Threat intelligence is the process of collecting, analyzing, and disseminating information about potential or actual security threats. This includes understanding the tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) used by threat actors and their motivations and goals.

For example, threat intelligence might analyze a threat actor's behavior patterns to predict future attacks. On the other hand, threat feeds are streams of data that provide specific information about threats, such as IP addresses, domains, or malware signatures. These are a subset of threat intelligence, providing actionable data that can be fed into security systems for threat detection and response. For example, a threat feed might include a list of malicious IP addresses that security teams can block incoming traffic.

In short, while threat feeds give you the raw data for immediate action, threat intelligence gives you the bigger picture of the threat landscape so you can build strategic defenses against cyber threats. But why does this matter for your organization? Let's take a closer look at the key benefits of using threat intelligence feeds to strengthen your security posture.

Benefits

Threat intelligence feeds offer many benefits to organizations, to help you detect, analyze, and respond to cyber threats better. CloudFlare states that "Organizations can use threat intelligence feeds to keep their security defenses updated and ready to face the latest attacks."

Here are some of the advantages:

Informed Decision Making

Threat intelligence feeds give you real-time data on emerging threats, attack vectors, and vulnerabilities. This information allows you to make informed decisions about which security controls to apply and allocate resources to the biggest risks facing your organization. By using threat intelligence feeds you can reduce the likelihood of breaches and minimize damage if an attack does occur. For example, if a threat feed shows a surge in phishing attacks targeting a specific industry, security teams can prioritize email security controls to mitigate this risk.

Proactive Risk Management

Threat intelligence feeds allow you to anticipate and counter potential threats. By staying up-to-date with the latest threats, security teams can harden defenses and prevent attacks from happening in the first place. This proactive approach to risk management allows you to stay ahead of emerging threats and reduce the risk of security incidents. For example, if a threat feed shows new malware spreading rapidly, security teams can use it for malware hunting and update their defenses to block this malware before it gets into their systems.

Compliance and Risk Management

Threat intelligence feeds help you comply with various regulations and standards. By identifying vulnerabilities that could lead to non-compliance, you can take proactive measures to secure your data and systems. Additionally, threat intelligence feeds provide evidence that proactive measures are being taken to secure your data, which can help demonstrate compliance with regulatory requirements. For example, a threat feed might highlight vulnerabilities in old software, so you can update your systems and remain compliant with industry standards.

By adding threat intelligence feeds into your cybersecurity strategy, you can improve your security posture, make informed decisions and proactively manage risks so you're better protected against cyber threats.

Threat intelligence feeds offer significant advantages, from strengthening defenses to ensuring compliance. However, not all feeds serve the same purpose: different types provide different kinds of insights. To make the most of threat intelligence, it's important to understand the various types of feeds available and how they contribute to a well-rounded security strategy.

Types of Threat Intelligence Feeds

Cyber threat intelligence feeds come in many forms, each serving different cybersecurity purposes. These feeds can be categorized into strategic, tactical, operational, and technical types, each playing a unique role in analyzing and understanding cyber threats. Understanding these different types helps organizations craft effective cybersecurity strategies that address specific needs and challenges.

Let's dive into each category to see how they contribute to your security posture.

Strategic Feeds

Strategic threat intelligence feeds provide high-level information on the motivations behind cyber attacks and long-term trends in the threat landscape. These feeds are used by C-level and executive management to inform decision-making and build overall security strategies for the organization. By providing real-time data on emerging threats, attack vectors, and vulnerabilities, strategic feeds keep top management ahead of potential threats.

For example, industry-specific bodies often provide timely information on phishing attacks targeting a specific sector, so you can build tailored defenses. This type of intelligence is key to making informed decisions to protect your organization from APT and other high-level cyber threats.

Tactical Feeds

Tactical threat intelligence feeds focus on tactics, techniques, and procedures used by threat actors. These are used by NOC and SOC staff, IT service management, and cybersecurity architects as they provide actionable information on how cyber attackers operate. By analyzing human intelligence, cybersecurity statistics, malware data, and incident reports, tactical threat intelligence enhances threat management and proactive defense measures and strengthens threat intelligence capabilities.

These feeds are used in security products and automation to detect threats proactively, so you can patch, adjust security controls, and upgrade strategies based on the latest intelligence. Tactical feeds bridge the gap between operational and strategic feeds, looking at how breaches occur and the tools used during attacks.

Operational Feeds

Operational threat intelligence feeds provide information on specific incoming attacks. This can be acted upon immediately. These feeds run malware in a safe electronic sandbox to assess its threat properties. For example, during the 2021 ransomware surge, organizations using operational threat intelligence feeds saw the trend early and saved millions in potential damage.

Operational threat intelligence helps executive management build strategies and policies to protect their organization from attacks. It also informs phishing training programs, covering the latest threats and threat intel to enhance overall security.

Technical Feeds

Technical threat intelligence feeds usually include specific incident indicators such as tools, IP addresses, phishing email headers, and malware checksums. These feeds provide specific indicators of compromise (IoCs) for quick incident response, so you can identify and respond to threats fast. An IP address in a feed can be used to scan for malicious activity, giving you valuable insight into the resources and tools used by attackers.

Offering detailed technical data, these feeds help you enhance your security infrastructure and respond quickly to incidents. Technical threat intelligence is key to maintaining a strong cybersecurity posture against emerging threats.

Each type of threat intelligence feed plays a unique role in strengthening cybersecurity defenses, from high-level strategic insights to highly detailed technical indicators. But not all feeds are created equal. To truly enhance security, organizations need high-quality feeds that provide accurate, timely, and relevant data. So, what makes a threat intelligence feed truly effective?

What Makes a Good Threat Intelligence Feed

A good threat intelligence feed is critical for effective threat detection and response. Key components of a good feed are data accuracy, real-time updates, and contextual information. These components help you get timely and relevant data on cyber risks so the intelligence is actionable and effective in mitigating threats.

Let's look into these components.

Data Accuracy

Data accuracy is key in threat intelligence feeds as it directly impacts threat detection and response. These feeds gather data from various sources including honeypot networks, commercial feeds, the community of threat researchers, security vendors, national vulnerability databases, and dark web forums.

Artificial intelligence plays a big role in ensuring data accuracy by performing automatic scans, detecting and analyzing IoCs, and using predictive analytics. Organizations should prioritize high-quality and regularly updated feeds with data that is consumable, machine-readable, and actionable.

Real-Time Updates

Real-time updates are critical for timely threat intelligence. Many threat intelligence feeds update their information every 30 minutes so you can get the latest data to respond to incidents quickly. Real-time threat intelligence helps you take action fast during an attack, significantly improving your response capabilities.

Threat intelligence is sent using the STIX data format and TAXII protocol, which facilitate efficient sharing of threat information.

Contextual Information

Contextual information is key in threat intelligence feeds as it helps IT teams act on critical insights. These feeds provide various contextual data including known phishing URLs, domains, and email addresses associated with phishing threats.

Advanced threat intelligence feeds also include additional information such as phishing kits and details on specific phishing campaigns. Customization in threat intelligence feeds is crucial to ensure that generated data aligns with your organization's needs.

How do They Collect Data?

Threat intelligence feeds collect data from various sources including open-source intelligence (OSINT), dark web monitoring, honeypots, and commercial providers. Organizations can choose from public sources or commercial services. They can also opt for custom feeds to collect the required threat intelligence data.

The process of data collection involves defining data requirements, automating data collection, converting the data for analysis, analyzing the data, and disseminating it. Let's look into the methods of automated data collection and human intelligence.

Automated Data Collection

Automated data collection plays a big role in threat intelligence feeds. Crowdsourced data, artificial intelligence, and machine learning are used to gather and analyze large volumes of threat data. Ingestion rules are key as they filter and enhance the data before delivery, ensuring high-quality information.

For example, the ThreatIntelligenceIndicator table in Microsoft Sentinel stores threat indicators for analytics and threat hunting, providing a framework for automated threat detection. Additional data like GeoLocation and WhoIs information for IP and domain indicators adds to the overall context.

Human Intelligence

Human intelligence is equally important in enriching threat data. Human analysts play a big role in interpreting the data and making it actionable. By analyzing the data, they can derive insights that automated systems may miss.

External analysts in strategic threat intelligence feeds provide a 360-degree view of various attacks, contributing to a deeper understanding of threat actor landscapes.

With so many sources feeding into threat intelligence, selecting the right one for your organization can be challenging. To help you navigate the options, let's explore some of the top threat intelligence feeds available in 2025.

Top 5 Threat Intelligence Feeds to Consider in 2025

Choosing the right threat intelligence feed is key to your organization's cybersecurity. Some of the top threat intelligence feeds to consider are Hunt.io's Threat Intelligence Feeds, AlienVault, and the FBI: InfraGard Portal. These feeds provide timely and actionable data to help you defend against cyber threats before they happen.

Let's look into each of these feeds.

FBI: InfraGard Portal

The FBI's InfraGard program connects private sector organizations with federal officials to improve the security of critical infrastructure. InfraGard enables public-private partnerships by allowing members to share sensitive information and threat intelligence, to respond quickly to potential cyber threats.

Through this partnership, you can receive and share threat intelligence, to build a security network against cyber threats.

Hunt.io's Threat Intelligence Feeds

At Hunt.io, our Cyber Threat Intelligence Feeds provide real-time data to help organizations detect and respond to cyber threats more effectively. We offer insights into active Command and Control (C2) servers, newly discovered hostnames on SSL certificates, and recently issued certificates. This information allows security teams to identify malicious activity early and investigate potential threats more efficiently.

Additionally, we provide customizable feeds tailored to specific needs, such as tracking HTTP/HTTPS services by IP and port in designated countries. With our intelligence feeds, businesses can stay ahead of cyber threats and strengthen their overall security posture.

Our feeds are also accessible via our API, allowing seamless integration with existing security platforms and workflows. A simple curl command can be used to access our API:

curl -o c2.json.gz 'https://api.hunt.io/v1/feeds/c2' -H 'token: <API_TOKEN_GOES_HERE>'

Of course, an API token is required, but it's very easy to create and manage API keys on our platform.

Spamhaus

Spamhaus is a well-known provider of threat intelligence feeds, specializing in identifying and tracking spam activities across the internet. Their extensive database of IP addresses and domains involved in spam, phishing, and malware distribution is valuable for organizations looking to strengthen their defenses against these threats.

Spamhaus provides real-time data to enhance email filtering and network protection, to prevent spam and other malicious communications from reaching end-users. Spamhaus threat intelligence feeds are used by organizations from small businesses to large enterprises to reduce the risk of cyber threats.

Their data is fed into various security solutions to provide actionable insights to improve threat detection and response. By using Spamhaus feeds, security teams can block suspicious IP addresses and domains proactively, reducing the attack surface and overall security posture.

Blocklist.de

Blocklist.de is a well-respected threat intelligence feed that specializes in identifying and reporting malicious activities, particularly from compromised IP addresses. This platform aggregates data from multiple sources, including honeypots and user reports, to create comprehensive blocklists to help organizations protect against cyber threats.

By providing real-time data on suspicious IP addresses, Blocklist.de allows security teams to block potential threats proactively, improving overall security posture.

abuse.ch URLhaus

abuse.ch's URLhaus is a well-known threat intelligence platform that collects, tracks, and shares information about malicious URLs used in malware distribution. By working with a global network of security researchers and organizations, URLhaus provides real-time data on emerging threats to help security teams identify and mitigate risks.

Its massive database of malicious URLs is valuable for threat detection and defense against cyber threats. Feeding URLhaus data into existing security controls allows organizations to block harmful URLs, and protect their networks from attacks.

AlienVault

LevelBlue's AlienVault offers free threat indicators, including malware signatures and suspicious IP addresses, to help you identify potential cyber threats. These indicators can be used with various security tools, to make it seamless in security operations. By using these free indicators, you can improve threat detection and protect against emerging threats.

All of these threat intelligence feeds provide real-world value by helping security teams detect and respond to cyber threats before they escalate. So now let's examine some real-life cases, where we can see how Hunt.io leverages these feeds to uncover malicious activities and identify attack trends.

Real-Life Examples

At Hunt.io, our researchers use threat intelligence feeds to discover new threats and stay ahead of malicious actors. The following articles make clear how much threat intelligence feeds matter for security teams:

Unlock SSL Intelligence: How SSL History Boosts Threat Hunting: Here we discussed how analyzing SSL/TLS certificates can enhance cybersecurity efforts. By examining details provided by our SSL/TLS certificate feeds, such as issuers, validity periods, and reuse patterns across domains and IPs, our researchers can uncover hidden connections, track adversaries, and identify vulnerabilities before exploitation. For instance, our investigation into the KeyPlug malware revealed an entire C2 infrastructure by analyzing reused TLS certificates across multiple domains.

Phishing Attacks Target Naver and Apple: Our analysis uncovered a suspected North Korean (DPRK) phishing campaign targeting Naver users and a separate cluster spoofing Apple domains. The investigation began with the discovery of an exposed directory that contained phishing pages designed to steal Naver login credentials. The server hosted over 200 domains, with HTTP services redirecting to legitimate Naver content, likely to deceive users.

Our threat intelligence feeds were instrumental in this investigation, enabling our researchers to identify and analyze the malicious infrastructure, track the threat actors' tactics, and uncover the extent of the phishing operations.

Guide to Gophish Detection: Our guide on Gophish detection emphasizes the importance of threat intelligence feeds in identifying and mitigating phishing threats. Gophish is an open-source phishing framework that allows organizations to simulate phishing attacks and assess their employees' susceptibility.

Our threat intelligence feeds aggregate data from multiple security providers and utilizes machine learning algorithms to analyze a broad range of data sources, enabling the detection of emerging and previously unknown phishing threats more effectively. Organizations can customize these feeds based on their specific threat profiles, providing a custom strategy for phishing detection.

Related Questions

What is a threat intelligence feed?

A threat intelligence feed is a continuous stream of valuable data about potential and ongoing security threats, such as unusual domains, malware signatures, and IP addresses. This information is important to enhance an organization's security posture and proactive threat management.

How do threat intelligence feeds help organizations?

Threat intelligence feeds help organizations detect, analyze, and respond to cyber threats, and provide valuable context to act quickly. This proactive approach makes an organization more secure.

What are the types of threat intelligence feeds?

There are four types of threat intelligence feeds: strategic, tactical, operational, and technical, each for different aspects of cybersecurity. Understanding these types will enhance your organization's threat detection and response capabilities.

Why is data accuracy important in threat intelligence feeds?

Data accuracy is important in threat intelligence feeds as it affects the effectiveness of threat detection and response initiatives. Inaccurate data can lead to misguided actions and vulnerabilities.

How can organizations make threat intelligence actionable?

Organizations can make threat intelligence actionable by integrating it with their security tools and customizing the data feeds to fit their needs, so the information is timely and relevant. This makes their security measures more effective.

Summary

Threat intelligence feeds are essential for modern cybersecurity, giving you the data to detect, analyze, and respond to threats effectively. Understanding their types, and components, and how to integrate them with your security tools helps you stay ahead of potential risks. The right feed can be the difference between stopping an attack and dealing with a costly breach.

Hunt.io's threat intelligence feeds give you that edge. Book a demo to see them in action.