When most people think about cyberattacks, they picture a sudden breach — an email hack, stolen credit card numbers, or a ransomware note popping up on a screen. But in reality, many attacks leave behind digital clues long before they strike. That’s where threat maps come in. These interactive tools show where attacks are happening around the world in real time, giving cybersecurity experts a bird’s-eye view of the global threat landscape.
Ever wonder how cybersecurity experts know what hackers are planning? The answer lies in cyberthreat intelligence, a behind-the-scenes field that’s less about flashy firewalls and more about detective work. It’s like digital espionage, where analysts gather clues from hacker forums, dark web marketplaces, malware samples, and even leaked chats to understand who the attackers are, what they want, and how they operate.
Cyberthreat intelligence (CTI) helps organisations move from reacting to attacks to preventing them. By studying patterns in past breaches and monitoring hacker chatter, analysts can anticipate which industries or vulnerabilities might be targeted next. For example, if threat actors start discussing exploits in popular remote work tools, CTI teams can alert companies to patch those systems before an attack happens. This proactive approach saves time, money, and trust.
One might think online scams just appear out of thin air, but in reality, many of them start brewing in the darkest corners of the internet. On hidden websites and forums known collectively as “The Dark Web”, hackers and cybercriminals trade stolen data, sell scam templates, and even share tips on how to trick people more effectively. Cyberthreat intelligence (CTI) experts spend time monitoring these spaces to spot threats before they reach email inboxes or social media feeds.
For years, phishing emails were a very popular and effective tool for cybercriminals. They contained messages pretending to be from the recipient’s bank or a familiar company, designed to steal the victim’s login details. While phishing is still common, social engineering has evolved far beyond those emails. Contemporary scammers are using more sophisticated techniques, blending psychology with technology to manipulate people into giving up information, money, or access.
One of the biggest shifts is the rise of deepfakes, that is highly realistic fake videos, audio clips, or images generated by artificial intelligence. Cybercriminals now use AI-powered voice cloning to impersonate CEOs in phone calls, tricking employees into transferring funds. Others create fake video messages that look like they came from trusted colleagues or even family members. These scams prey on trust, making it harder for people to tell what’s real and what’s fake.
Cyberattacks often seem to come out of nowhere, but behind the scenes, teams of cybersecurity experts are constantly scanning for warning signs. Through a process known as threat forecasting, analysts look at patterns in data, emerging technologies, hacker conversations, and even geopolitical shifts to predict what types of cyberattacks might happen next. It’s not magic, it’s cyberthreat intelligence.
Much like weather forecasting, predicting cyber threats relies on spotting trends early. If hackers begin experimenting with new tactics or tools, those clues often surface first in obscure corners of the internet, like dark web forums or malware code repositories. Cybersecurity analysts collect and analyse this data to identify new techniques before they become widespread, giving companies and users a head start in defending themselves.
