What are the differences between strategic, operational, and tactical threat intelligence?

Strategic threat intelligence focuses on long-term planning and decision-making at the executive level, aiding in understanding high-level threats facing an organization. Operational threat intelligence deals with current threats and helps with day-to-day security operations and incident response. Tactical threat intelligence involves detailed and specific information about threats, tactics, and techniques, supporting immediate actions.

All these types of threat intelligence are crucial for a comprehensive Cyber Threat Intelligence (CTI) program. Strategic intelligence provides a big picture perspective and helps in setting overarching security objectives. Operational intelligence enables organizations to respond effectively to real-time threats. Tactical intelligence offers specific details that can be used to inform security controls and measures on a granular level, enhancing situational awareness and response capabilities. Combining these three types of intelligence creates a robust defense against cyber threats.