What is the main focus of operational threat intelligence?

The main focus of operational threat intelligence is to provide real-time situational awareness. This involves the timely collection and analysis of threat data to support immediate decision-making in response to ongoing or emerging threats. Operational threat intelligence equips organizations with current information about potential attacks and vulnerabilities, enabling them to proactively defend against threats and respond effectively when incidents occur.

Such intelligence is critical for incident response teams and security operations, as it informs them about the nature and tactics of active threats. This responsiveness is crucial in mitigating impacts, as organizations can adjust their security posture based on the latest intelligence.

In contrast, while long-term strategic planning, external threat landscape analysis, and regulatory compliance play important roles in an organization's overall security strategy, they do not specifically center on the immediate awareness and actionable insights that operational threat intelligence delivers.