What is the main goal of threat hunting?

The primary goal of threat hunting is to proactively find and mitigate potential threats before they can cause harm to an organization's systems and data. This process involves actively searching for signs of suspicious activity within a network, which goes beyond traditional security measures that typically react to known threats or alerts generated by automated systems.

By engaging in threat hunting, cybersecurity professionals are essentially looking for the "unknown unknowns"—threats that may not yet have been detected by existing defenses. This proactive approach allows organizations to identify vulnerabilities, weaknesses, or indicators of compromise that could potentially lead to a security incident. Detecting these threats early helps in reducing the risk of serious damage, data breaches, or any operational disruptions.

Integration of threat hunting into a security strategy enhances an organization's awareness of its threat landscape and contributes to a stronger security posture overall. This ensures that defenses are not just reactive, but rather anticipatory, allowing for timely interventions. As such, the focus on finding and mitigating threats is essential for maintaining the integrity of the cyber environment.