Top 14 Threat Intelligence Platforms for 2026

Introduction: The Evolution of Threat Intelligence

The threat intelligence market has undergone a significant transformation. While traditional cyber threat intelligence (CTI) focused primarily on indicators of compromise (IOCs)—IP addresses, file hashes, and malicious domains—today’s most sophisticated threats require a fundamentally different approach.

The advent of infostealer malware, and the continued growth of the cybercrime ecosystem has forced companies and vendors alike to expand their definitions of threat intelligence and change the focus of what a successful CTI program looks like. 

Credential theft, infostealer malware, and identity-based attacks now account for the majority of initial access vectors in enterprise breaches. According to the IBM X-Force 2025 Threat Intelligence Index, there was an 84% increase in infostealer phishing emails in 2024 compared to 2023, with 70% of attacks targeting critical infrastructure. This shift has created a new category of threat intelligence that we call identity intelligence, and the most effective security programs now combine both approaches.

This guide explores the top threat intelligence companies in 2025, spanning traditional IOC-focused platforms, identity intelligence providers, and open-source tools. We’ll help you understand which approach, or combination of approaches best fits your security program.

---

---

Understanding Modern Threat Intelligence

Before diving into specific vendors, it’s essential to understand how the threat intelligence landscape has evolved. Modern platforms increasingly blend traditional IOC capabilities with identity-focused intelligence:

Traditional IOC-Based Threat Intelligence focuses on:

• IP addresses of known malicious infrastructure
• File hashes of malware samples
• Command-and-control (C2) domain indicators
• YARA rules and detection signatures
• Threat actor TTPs mapped to MITRE ATT&CK

Identity Intelligence focuses on:

• Stolen credentials from data breaches and infostealer infections
• Session cookies and authentication tokens
• Employee and customer credential exposure
• Dark web marketplace activity involving your organization
• Telegram channel monitoring for leaked data

The most mature security programs recognize that these capabilities are complementary, not competitive. IOC feeds detect known threats in your environment, while identity intelligence catches the credential exposures that precede targeted attacks.

---

Top 14 Threat Intelligence Companies in 2025

1. Flare — Best for Identity Intelligence and Credential Monitoring

Category: Identity Intelligence, Threat Exposure Management
Best For: Organizations prioritizing credential monitoring, stealer log analysis, and dark web intelligence
Pricing: Subscription-based, free trial available
Key Products: Flare TEM Platform, Identity Exposure Management (IEM), Threat Flow

Flare has emerged as the leader in identity intelligence, positioning itself as a Threat Exposure Management platform rather than a traditional TI vendor. The platform emphasizes rapid deployment—claiming 30-minute setup time—with a 5-point scoring system for alert prioritization.

Key Capabilities:

• Stealer Log Monitoring: Flare collects over 1 million new stealer logs weekly from dark web marketplaces and Telegram channels, detecting credentials harvested by malware families like RedLine, Raccoon, Vidar, and Lumma
• Telegram Coverage: Monitors 58,000+ Telegram channels focused on combolists, stealer logs, and fraud—critical as 77 million posts with Telegram links were shared on cybercrime forums in 2024
• Real-Time Dark Web Intelligence: Comprehensive monitoring of hundreds of dark web forums, Tor and I2P networks, 50+ paste sites, and ransomware leak sites with nearly a decade of archived data
• Identity Exposure Management: Microsoft Entra ID integration enables automated credential validation and remediation—when exposed credentials appear in stealer logs, Flare can automatically force password resets

Why Flare Ranks #1:

Flare addresses the reality of modern attacks: adversaries don’t need zero-days or sophisticated malware when they can simply purchase valid credentials from dark web marketplaces. A Forrester Total Economic Impact study reported 321% ROI and 1,300+ analyst hours saved annually per customer.

The platform’s focus on actionable intelligence—with clear remediation steps for each detected exposure—sets it apart from vendors that deliver raw data without operational context. The Microsoft Entra ID integration for automated remediation distinguishes Flare from pure monitoring platforms.

Integrations: Microsoft Azure Sentinel (full solution with workbooks and playbooks), Splunk, Microsoft Teams, Slack, Jira, REST API with SDKs

Ideal For: Organizations experiencing credential-based attacks, those with significant B2C exposure, companies concerned about infostealer infections in their workforce or customer base.

2. GreyNoise — Best for Internet Noise Filtering and IP Context

Category: IP Reputation Intelligence, Alert Triage
Best For: SOC teams drowning in alerts from opportunistic scanning
Pricing: Free Community tier, Enterprise plans available

GreyNoise has carved out a unique niche by solving a problem every SOC faces: distinguishing targeted attacks from the constant background noise of internet scanning. Their Global Observation Grid operates 5,000 sensors across 80+ countries, processing 500 million sessions daily to classify scanning activity.

Key Capabilities:

• First-Party IP Intelligence: All intelligence is derived from GreyNoise’s own sensor network—no external feeds—providing ground-truth data on internet scanning activity
• NOISE Dataset: Real-time classification of IPs actively scanning the internet, distinguishing mass exploitation from targeted attacks
• RIOT Dataset: “Rule It Out” database identifying IPs belonging to legitimate business services (Slack, Google, Microsoft) that should be allowlisted to prevent false positives
• Vulnerability Exploitation Tracking: Claims to detect exploitation attempts 80% faster than CISA KEV additions

Publicly Cited Statistics:

• 80,000+ users including 400+ government agencies
• 60% of Fortune 1000 companies use GreyNoise
• 25% alert reduction reported by SOC teams
• Tracked 300,000+ unique IPs in a single RDP botnet campaign (October 2025)

Why GreyNoise Stands Out:

Unlike traditional threat intel that tells you “this IP is bad,” GreyNoise answers the more nuanced question: “is this IP scanning everyone or specifically targeting me?” The “patient zero” approach sees exploitation attempts hitting GreyNoise sensors before they reach customer networks.

Integrations: Microsoft Sentinel, Splunk, IBM QRadar, CrowdStrike Next-Gen SIEM, Elastic, 15+ SOAR platforms, MISP, OpenCTI, Anomali, ThreatConnect, Microsoft Copilot for Security

Ideal For: Security operations teams with high alert volume, organizations wanting to reduce false positives, teams prioritizing CVE remediation.

---

3. LevelBlue Open Threat Exchange (OTX) — Best Free Community-Driven IOC Platform

Category: Community Threat Intelligence, IOC Sharing
Best For: Security teams on a budget, organizations contributing to collective defense
Pricing: Free

Open Threat Exchange operates as the largest free community threat intelligence platform, with 180,000+ participants across 140+ countries contributing 19 million+ threat indicators daily. The platform rebranded from AlienVault to AT&T Cybersecurity to LevelBlue in 2024.

Key Capabilities:

• Pulse System: Community-curated collections of IOCs tied to specific campaigns, malware families, or threat actors with 15-minute updates to USM Anywhere
• Massive Community: 450,000 OTX subscribers with one-third being cybersecurity vendors—validating data quality
• Comprehensive IOC Types: IPs, domains, URLs, hashes, file paths, CVEs, CIDR rules, and MUTEX indicators
• OTX Endpoint Security: Free agent-based scanning for IOCs on endpoints
• LevelBlue Labs Research: Curated research from dedicated analysts (formerly Alien Labs)

Why OTX Stands Out:

The power of OTX lies in its community. When a researcher discovers new malicious infrastructure, they can publish a Pulse that immediately benefits thousands of organizations. This collaborative model accelerates the sharing of threat intelligence beyond what any single vendor could achieve—and it’s 100% free.

Integrations: Native to LevelBlue USM Anywhere, Splunk, Elastic, Graylog, ArcSight, FortiSOAR, Google SecOps SOAR, STIX/TAXII server capabilities, DirectConnect API with Python/Java SDKs

Ideal For: Budget-conscious security teams, organizations seeking broad IOC coverage, those wanting to contribute to community defense.

---

4. CrowdStrike Falcon Intelligence — Best for EDR-Integrated Threat Intelligence

Category: Endpoint-Integrated Threat Intelligence
Best For: Organizations using CrowdStrike EDR seeking native intelligence integration
Pricing: Bundled with CrowdStrike Falcon platform

CrowdStrike’s threat intelligence uniquely combines endpoint telemetry with traditional TI capabilities. The Falcon platform processes trillions of telemetry events from deployed sensors, creating intelligence derived from actual attack activity rather than honeypots alone. CrowdStrike received the highest score in the Current Offering category in The Forrester Wave Q3 2023.

Key Capabilities:

• Adversary Profiles: Detailed intelligence on 265+ threat actors with behavioral analysis and naming conventions (e.g., “Fancy Bear,” “Scattered Spider”)
• Dark Web Monitoring: 8+ years of historical dark web data with coverage of criminal forums, encrypted messaging (Telegram, QQ), and paste sites
• Credential Intelligence: Analyzed 20,000+ Russian Market notifications in 2022 and researches 100,000+ typosquatting notifications annually
• Thousands of Intelligence Reports: Premium tier includes extensive annual reporting from 500+ incident response engagements
• Threat AI: Agentic threat intelligence announced August 2025 for automated analysis

Why CrowdStrike Stands Out:

The tight integration between endpoint telemetry and threat intelligence creates a feedback loop, detections inform intelligence, and intelligence enriches detections. For CrowdStrike customers, this eliminates the friction of integrating third-party intelligence. The fusion of EDR telemetry with threat intelligence enables automated correlation between observed attacks and adversary TTPs.

Integrations: Native to Falcon platform (EDR, XDR, Identity Protection). External integrations with Splunk, Chronicle, Microsoft Sentinel, IBM QRadar, ThreatConnect via pre-built apps.

Ideal For: Existing CrowdStrike customers, organizations wanting unified EDR and threat intel, those requiring actor attribution for detected threats.

---

5. Mandiant Threat Intelligence — Best for Incident Response-Informed Intelligence

Category: IR-Informed Threat Intelligence
Best For: Organizations valuing intelligence derived from frontline incident response
Pricing: Subscription-based (now part of Google Cloud)

Mandiant (acquired by Google in September 2022) brings a unique advantage: their insights are informed by 200,000+ hours annually of active incident response work. Forrester noted Mandiant is “poised to become the most relevant and dominant threat intelligence provider.” The M-Trends 2025 report represents 450,000+ hours of consulting investigations.

Key Capabilities:

• Frontline Intelligence: IOCs and TTPs derived from active IR engagements—actual breach investigations that provide “ground truth” unavailable through technical collection alone
• Threat Actor Tracking: 500+ threat intelligence analysts across 30 countries actively monitoring 390+ threat actors
• Digital Threat Monitoring: Dark web monitoring covering underground marketplaces, paste sites, forums, and private encrypted channels
• Google Integration: Unified with VirusTotal and Google infrastructure for massive scale—billions of phishing attempts visible

Publicly Cited Statistics:

• Global median dwell time: 11 days in 2024 (from M-Trends 2025)
• 500+ threat intelligence analysts in 30 countries
• 390+ actively monitored threat actors
• 450,000+ hours of consulting investigations

Why Mandiant Stands Out:

The IR-informed intelligence model means Mandiant often has visibility into attacks before they become public. The combination of human IR expertise with Google’s Gemini AI creates intelligence that balances machine scale with investigator insight.

Integrations: Native to Google SecOps (Chronicle) with curated detection rules, browser plug-in for threat overlay on any web console, API access for SIEM/SOAR integration.

Ideal For: Organizations in targeted industries (finance, healthcare, critical infrastructure), those valuing nation-state threat intelligence, customers seeking IR-ready threat data.

---

6. Cisco Talos Intelligence — Best for Network-Centric Threat Intelligence

Category: Network Threat Intelligence, Malware Research
Best For: Organizations with Cisco security infrastructure, those needing network-focused intel
Pricing: Included with Cisco security products; standalone access available

Cisco Talos represents the largest commercial threat intelligence team, processing telemetry from Cisco’s massive installed base of security products. The scale of data processing exceeds most competitors.

Publicly Cited Statistics:

• 800 billion security events detected daily
• 7.2 trillion attacks prevented annually
• 2,000 domains blocked per second
• 9 million emails blocked per hour
• 32 billion web pages in reputation database
• 80 million emails analyzed daily
• Hundreds of researchers worldwide

Key Capabilities:

• Reputation Services: File, IP, and domain reputation lookups updated every 30 minutes
• Snort Signatures: 2,500+ open-source IPS rules annually, extending reach beyond Cisco customers
• Sandbox Analysis: ~100,000 malware runs daily through dynamic sandbox
• Threat Honeypots: SSH, telnet, industrial systems, and Cisco router honeypots for early threat detection
• ClamAV: Open-source antivirus signatures used globally

Why Talos Stands Out:

Talos intelligence is embedded throughout Cisco’s security portfolio, Secure Firewall, Umbrella, Secure Endpoint, Email, XDR, and Meraki – providing immediate protection without additional integration. The open-source Snort and ClamAV projects build community trust and extend protection beyond paying customers.

Integrations: Native to all Cisco security products, Splunk Enterprise Security native app, open-source Snort and ClamAV integration.

Ideal For: Cisco customers, organizations with IDS/IPS deployments, those prioritizing network-layer threat detection.

---

7. IBM X-Force — Best for Enterprise Threat Research and Analysis

Category: Enterprise Threat Intelligence, Research
Best For: IBM security customers, organizations requiring deep research capabilities
Pricing: Included with IBM Security products; X-Force Exchange free tier available

IBM X-Force combines a collaborative threat intelligence platform with extensive research capabilities spanning nearly 30 years of vulnerability data. The platform monitors 150+ billion security events daily across 130+ countries. Note: IBM sold QRadar SaaS to Palo Alto Networks in 2024; X-Force services continue under IBM.

Publicly Cited Statistics:

• 860,000+ IP addresses with reputation scores
• 32 billion+ web pages/images analyzed
• 100,000+ vulnerabilities in database
• 84% increase in infostealer phishing emails (2024 vs 2023)
• 70% of attacks targeted critical infrastructure in 2024
• Top 10 retailers (6 of 10) and banks (5 of 10) participate in X-Force Exchange

Key Capabilities:

• X-Force Exchange: Cloud-based collaborative TIP enabling intelligence sharing among 1,000+ organizations
• Annual Threat Intelligence Index: Flagship research report with comprehensive threat landscape analysis
• Dark Web Research: Coverage of credential marketplaces and CVE discussions
• IR Services: Incident response across 170 countries providing real-world attack data
• X-Force Red: Offensive security testing for proactive vulnerability discovery

Why X-Force Stands Out:

X-Force Exchange enables collaborative intelligence sharing with major financial institutions and retailers participating. The platform’s nearly 30-year vulnerability database provides historical context unavailable elsewhere.

Integrations: Native to IBM QRadar SIEM and SOAR, STIX/TAXII 2.0 support for third-party platforms, certified integration with Palo Alto XSOAR.

Ideal For: IBM Security customers, enterprises requiring formal threat assessments, organizations in highly regulated industries.

---

8. KELA — Best for Cybercrime and Underground Intelligence

Category: Cybercrime Intelligence, Dark Web Monitoring
Best For: Organizations focused on financially motivated threats, fraud teams
Pricing: Subscription-based

KELA emphasizes the “attacker’s perspective,” delivering intelligence contextualized from the adversary viewpoint. Founded by veteran intelligence experts, KELA focuses on threat actor profiling and investigation capabilities with anonymous proxy access to underground sources.

Key Capabilities:

• Threat Actor Profiling: Consolidates identities across platforms, linking forum handles, social media accounts, and bitcoin wallets—case studies show tracking of 497+ forum posts for individual actors
• INVESTIGATE Module: Threat hunting with anonymous proxy access for real-time investigations in underground sources
• IDENTITY GUARD: Credential protection from infected machine data with webhook integrations
• MONITOR: Attack surface management with continuous exposure detection
• Extensive Historical Data: Large data lake of processed intelligence from underground forums and marketplaces

Why KELA Stands Out:

KELA’s threat actor profiling capabilities are particularly strong, enabling security teams to understand adversary personas across multiple platforms. The anonymous proxy access allows safe investigation of criminal forums without exposing analyst infrastructure.

Integrations: Official Splunk apps (KELA IoCs, KELA Monitor), AWS Marketplace availability, webhooks for Identity Guard, REST API.

Ideal For: Financial services organizations, fraud prevention teams, companies concerned about ransomware targeting.

---

9. Cyble — Best for AI-Powered Dark Web and Brand Intelligence

Category: AI-Native Threat Intelligence, Digital Risk Protection
Best For: Organizations requiring automated dark web monitoring and brand protection
Pricing: Subscription-based

Cyble brands itself as “AI-native” and achieved the #1 ranking on Gartner Peer Insights (4.8/5) for Cyber Threat Intelligence Products. The platform offers 13+ capabilities in a unified solution spanning CTI, digital risk protection, attack surface management, and physical security.

Publicly Cited Statistics:

• 900,000+ cybercrime sources monitored 24/7
• 4,000+ threat actors monitored continuously
• 2 billion+ IPs scanned daily across 150 ports
• 20 billion+ dark web records indexed monthly
• 15TB+ dark web telemetry processed monthly
• 1.3 million+ compromised cards detected per month
• 500 billion+ pages monitored daily
• Claims 10x faster threat detection and attack prediction up to 6 months in advance

Key Capabilities:

• Cyble Blaze AI: Agentic AI for autonomous threat detection and analysis
• MITRE ATT&CK Mapping: Explicit mapping of IOCs to malware families, threat actors, and TTPs
• Odin Scanner: Internet-wide attack surface scanning at odin.io
• Third-Party Risk: Supply chain and vendor exposure monitoring
• Takedown Services: Managed removal of phishing sites and impersonation accounts

Why Cyble Stands Out:

Cyble’s AI-first approach enables processing of sources that would be impractical to monitor manually. The explicit MITRE ATT&CK mapping provides operational context missing from raw feed providers, and their Gartner Peer Insights ranking validates customer satisfaction.

Integrations: Splunk, Microsoft Sentinel, IBM QRadar, Fortinet, LogRhythm, RSA, Securonix, Cortex XSOAR, Cyware, MISP, TAXII feed delivery. AWS and Azure Marketplace availability.

Ideal For: Organizations seeking automated intelligence, those with brand protection needs, companies with complex supply chains.

---

10. Anomali ThreatStream — Best for Multi-Source IOC Aggregation

Category: Threat Intelligence Platform (TIP)
Best For: Organizations consolidating multiple intelligence feeds
Pricing: Subscription-based

Anomali markets “the world’s largest curated threat intelligence repository,” with their ThreatStream platform aggregating 200+ intelligence sources through a marketplace model. The platform launched ThreatStream AI tiers in June 2025.

Key Capabilities:

• Massive Feed Aggregation: 100+ pre-integrated OSINT feeds plus 200+ premium feeds via Anomali Marketplace (including Mandiant, Recorded Future, Proofpoint, Flashpoint, GreyNoise, VirusTotal)
• MACULA ML Algorithm: Automated scoring and false positive removal across aggregated sources
• Anomali Trusted Circles: Intelligence sharing among 2,000+ organizations
• Anomali Copilot: Generative AI assistant supporting 80+ languages
• Flexible Deployment: Cloud, VM, on-premises, or air-gapped environments with petabyte-speed analytics and 7+ years of hot storage

Why Anomali Stands Out:

The marketplace model provides one-stop access to dozens of commercial and OSINT feeds, normalizing and deduplicating across sources. Dark web and credential intelligence available through Mandiant DTM integration. Air-gap deployment supports classified environments.

Integrations: Splunk, Microsoft Sentinel, IBM QRadar, Cortex XSOAR, Splunk SOAR, ServiceNow. Native STIX/TAXII support. Full REST API with Python/Java SDKs.

Ideal For: Organizations with multiple CTI subscriptions, security teams building TIP capabilities, those requiring custom intelligence workflows.

---

11. ThreatConnect — Best for CTI Workflow Automation and Orchestration

Category: Threat Intelligence Platform with SOAR Capabilities
Best For: Organizations automating threat intelligence operationalization
Pricing: Subscription-based

ThreatConnect emphasizes “operationalizing” intelligence rather than simply collecting it, with unique capabilities for quantifying cyber risk in financial terms. Dataminr announced plans to acquire ThreatConnect for $290 million in October 2025.

Customer-Reported Statistics:

• 97% report improved SIEM/SOAR/EDR effectiveness
• 90% report >50% time savings
• 67% report >50% reduction in MTTR
• ~300 enterprise and government customers

Key Capabilities:

• CAL™ Automated Threat Library: AI/ML-powered intelligence distilling 60+ OSINT sources (blogs, reports) into structured feeds with community telemetry
• Risk Quantifier: Translates threat intelligence into business terms—quantifying exposure in dollars to justify security investments
• ATT&CK Visualizer: Visual TTP representation tied to financial risk assessment
• Polarity: Browser extension providing context overlay on any web console
• Native SOAR: Built-in orchestration capabilities eliminate separate platform requirements

Why ThreatConnect Stands Out:

Risk Quantifier translates threat intelligence into business terms—quantifying exposure in dollars enables security teams to justify investments to executives. The combination of TIP and SOAR in a single platform reduces the complexity of operationalizing threat intelligence.

Integrations: Splunk, Microsoft Sentinel, IBM QRadar, ArcSight, Elastic, ServiceNow, Jira. Native SOAR capabilities built into platform.

Ideal For: Organizations building CTI programs, security teams automating intelligence workflows, those participating in threat sharing communities.

---

12. abuse.ch (ThreatFox, URLhaus, MalwareBazaar) — Best Free Malware and IOC Feeds

Category: Open-Source Threat Intelligence, Malware Research
Best For: Security researchers, organizations seeking free high-quality IOC feeds
Pricing: Free (CC0 license)

abuse.ch operates six interconnected projects as a non-profit research initiative at Bern University of Applied Sciences, Switzerland. All data is freely available under CC0 license and contributed by over 15,000 specialist researchers. Partnership with Spamhaus extends protection to 4.5 billion mailboxes globally.

Publicly Cited Statistics:

• MalwareBazaar: 1,022,666+ confirmed malware samples; 100 million API requests monthly
• URLhaus: 3,654,915+ malicious URLs tracked; 175 million API requests monthly
• SSLBL: JA3 fingerprints from 25,000,000+ malware PCAPs
• 5.3 million+ threat intelligence items shared total

Key Capabilities:

• MalwareBazaar: Malware sample repository with analysis and classification—only vetted, confirmed malware accepted (no benign files or adware)
• URLhaus: Real-time feed of malicious URLs used for malware distribution with active verification before blocklist inclusion
• ThreatFox: IOC database with malware family attribution and context
• Feodo Tracker: Tracking of botnet C2 infrastructure (Emotet, Dridex, QakBot, etc.)
• YARAify: Community YARA rules repository

Why abuse.ch Stands Out:

The quality-to-cost ratio is unmatched. These feeds are used by commercial vendors, ISPs, and CERTs worldwide. abuse.ch accepts only vetted, confirmed malware with active URL and C2 verification before blocklist inclusion—minimizing false positives that plague other free sources.

Integrations: REST APIs for all platforms, MISP exports, Suricata/Snort IDS rules, DNS RPZ exports, Elastic Security integration, real-time feeds via Spamhaus Technology (ZMQ/Kafka).

Ideal For: Security researchers, SOC teams building detection rules, organizations with limited budgets.

---

13. VirusTotal — Best for File and URL Analysis

Category: Malware Analysis, IOC Enrichment
Best For: Security analysts needing quick file/URL reputation checks
Pricing: Free tier available; Premium for advanced features and API access

VirusTotal aggregates scan results from 70+ antivirus engines and has evolved into Google Threat Intelligence following Google’s acquisition. The platform receives hundreds of thousands of file submissions daily from organizations worldwide.

Key Capabilities:

• Multi-Engine Scanning: Aggregate detection verdicts from 70+ security vendors providing consensus detection no single AV can match
• MITRE ATT&CK Mapping: Sandbox reports automatically mapped to tactics and techniques
• Threat Actor Tracking: Full profiles via Mandiant integration in Google Threat Intelligence
• Behavioral Analysis: Multiple integrated sandboxes (Jujubox, Observer, Zenbox, NSFOCUS POMA) for dynamic analysis
• Relationship Graphs: Visual mapping of infrastructure relationships
• Hunting Capabilities: YARA Livehunt for real-time matching, Retrohunting for historical analysis

Why VirusTotal Stands Out:

The multi-vendor verdict aggregation provides consensus detection that no single AV engine can match. The Mandiant integration adds curated threat actor intelligence to raw file analysis, and the massive community contributions create unparalleled sample coverage.

Integrations: REST API (v3 following jsonapi.org), native SIEM integrations (Splunk, Microsoft Sentinel, Elastic), SOAR connectors, official MISP expansion module, vt-py Python SDK.

Ideal For: Security analysts, incident responders, anyone needing quick file/URL reputation checks.

---

14. MISP — Best Open-Source Threat Intelligence Platform

Category: Open-Source Threat Intelligence Sharing
Best For: Organizations building custom TIP capabilities, ISACs, government agencies
Pricing: Free (open-source)

MISP (Malware Information Sharing Platform) serves as the de facto open-source threat intelligence platform, used by CERTs, CSIRTs, and enterprises worldwide. Developed and maintained by CIRCL (Computer Incident Response Center Luxembourg), MISP provides federated sharing with organizational data control. FIRST operates a global MISP instance for FIRST members.

Key Capabilities:

• Flexible Data Model: Extensible attribute system for any intelligence type with granular sharing controls at event, attribute, and sharing group levels
• Built-In Correlation: Automatic relationship detection including fuzzy hashing (ssdeep) for similar file identification
• Full MITRE ATT&CK: Native Galaxy clusters for complete framework coverage
• Standards Compliance: Native STIX 1.x/2.x, ISO/IEC 27010:2015, GDPR, NISD support
• 100+ Expansion Modules: Enrichment integrations for VirusTotal, Shodan, PassiveTotal, and many others
• Commercial Feed Integration: Broadcom/Symantec DeepSight, Kaspersky, and other premium sources

Why MISP Stands Out:

For organizations requiring complete control over their threat intelligence infrastructure, MISP provides enterprise-grade capabilities without licensing costs. The decentralized model enables organizations to maintain data sovereignty while participating in intelligence communities. The active community continually contributes new features, integrations, and threat data.

Integrations: Comprehensive API with OpenAPI documentation, STIX/TAXII via MISP-Taxii-Server, native IDS exports (Snort, Suricata, Zeek), ZMQ/Kafka real-time publishing, TheHive case management integration, Cuckoo and Joe Sandbox malware analysis.

Ideal For: Government agencies and CERTs, ISACs building sharing infrastructure, organizations with development resources for customization.

---

Choosing the Right Threat Intelligence Approach

The threat intelligence landscape isn’t one-size-fits-all. Here’s how to think about building your program:

Start with Your Primary Threat Vectors

If credential theft and account takeover are primary concerns: Prioritize identity intelligence platforms like Flare that monitor for exposed credentials and stealer logs, with capabilities like Microsoft Entra ID integration for automated remediation.

If you’re focused on detecting malware and C2: Traditional IOC feeds from vendors like Recorded Future or community sources like OTX and abuse.ch provide the indicators your detection tools need.

If alert fatigue is killing your SOC: Contextual intelligence from GreyNoise (with 5,000 sensors in 80+ countries) helps separate targeted attacks from internet noise, with customers reporting 25% alert reduction.

If you’re concerned about being targeted by ransomware: Dark web monitoring from KELA or Cyble provides early warning when your organization appears in criminal discussions.

Consider Integration Requirements

Your threat intelligence is only as valuable as your ability to operationalize it. Ensure your chosen vendors integrate with:

• SIEM platforms (Splunk, Microsoft Sentinel, IBM QRadar, etc.)
• EDR solutions
• SOAR platforms
• Firewalls and network security tools

Layer Your Intelligence

Most mature organizations use multiple intelligence sources:

1. Identity Intelligence (Flare) for credential exposure and stealer log monitoring
2. IOC Feeds (OTX, abuse.ch, commercial feeds) for malware and infrastructure indicators
3. Contextual Intelligence (GreyNoise) for alert enrichment and noise filtering
4. Strategic Intelligence (Recorded Future, Mandiant) for threat actor understanding

---

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between threat intelligence and IOC feeds?

Threat intelligence is the broader discipline of collecting, analyzing, and operationalizing information about threats. IOC feeds are one output of threat intelligence—lists of specific indicators (IPs, domains, hashes) that can be used for detection. Modern threat intelligence platforms provide both tactical IOCs and strategic context about threat actors, campaigns, and TTPs.

What is identity intelligence in cybersecurity?

Identity intelligence focuses on monitoring for stolen credentials, session tokens, and authentication data that attackers use to gain access to systems. Unlike traditional IOCs that indicate active attacks, identity intelligence catches credential exposures before they’re weaponized—enabling preventive action rather than reactive detection. According to IBM X-Force, there was an 84% increase in infostealer phishing emails in 2024.

How do I choose between free and commercial threat intelligence?

Free sources like OTX (180,000+ participants), abuse.ch (5.3M+ IOCs), and MISP provide excellent foundational coverage for IOCs and malware indicators. Commercial platforms add value through proprietary data sources (especially dark web), better context and enrichment, professional support, and easier integration. Most organizations benefit from layering both.

How do threat intelligence platforms integrate with SIEM?

Most TIPs support standard protocols like STIX/TAXII for indicator sharing, plus direct API integrations with major SIEM platforms. Integration typically involves ingesting IOCs into the SIEM’s threat intelligence module, where they’re correlated against log data to generate alerts when matches are found.

What’s the difference between a TIP and a SOAR platform?

A Threat Intelligence Platform (TIP) focuses on aggregating, enriching, and managing threat data. A Security Orchestration, Automation and Response (SOAR) platform automates security workflows and incident response. Some platforms like ThreatConnect blur this line by offering both capabilities.

How often should threat intelligence be updated?

IOC feeds should be updated continuously or at least daily—threat infrastructure changes rapidly. Strategic intelligence (actor profiles, industry reports) is typically updated weekly or monthly. The key is ensuring your detection tools always have current indicators while maintaining historical context for investigation.

---

The Bottom Line

Threat intelligence has evolved beyond simple IOC feeds. While traditional indicators remain important for detection, the shift toward credential-based attacks demands a new approach focused on identity intelligence.

Flare leads this evolution by monitoring the sources where stolen credentials actually appear—collecting over 1 million new stealer logs weekly from dark web marketplaces and 58,000+ Telegram channels. Combined with traditional IOC feeds from vendors like GreyNoise (5,000 sensors, 500M daily sessions), OTX (180,000+ contributors), and enterprise platforms like Recorded Future (13B+ indexed entities), security teams can build comprehensive visibility into both active threats and the precursors that enable them.

The best threat intelligence program isn’t about choosing one vendor—it’s about layering complementary capabilities that address your organization’s specific threat landscape.

---

Ready to Add Identity Intelligence to Your Security Stack?

Flare monitors millions of stealer logs and dark web sources to detect exposed credentials before attackers can use them. See what’s already exposed about your organization.

Start Your Free Trial →

---