The Basics Never Change
Cybersecurity trends come and go. New threats emerge. Fancy tools promise magic solutions. But ask any seasoned threat hunter, and they’ll tell you—the fundamentals are what keep organizations safe. The problem? Too many people ignore them.
Threat hunting isn’t about the latest AI-powered detection system. It’s about knowing what’s in your network, understanding how it should behave, and spotting when something’s off. Simple? Yes. Easy? Not at all.
So, let’s get back to basics.
Assumptions Will Get You Hacked
Every security breach starts with one thing—assumption.
- "Our firewall will catch it."
- "The EDR has us covered."
- "We have strong passwords."
Wrong. Attackers thrive on assumptions. They know you’re relying on automated tools and outdated policies. They know where you’re not looking. And they know how to blend in until it’s too late.
Good threat hunting means questioning everything. Assume nothing. Validate everything.
Know Your Network (Really Know It)
How many devices are on your network right now? What systems talk to each other daily? Where does sensitive data live? If you don’t have quick, confident answers, you’re already behind.
Attackers don’t break in. They log in. They use stolen credentials, misconfigured systems, and forgotten accounts to move quietly through your environment. And unless you’re actively looking for them, they’ll stay hidden.
Threat hunters know their network like their own home. They can spot when something doesn’t belong, even when it’s trying to blend in.
Logs Are Useless (Unless You Use Them)
You’re collecting logs. Great. But are you looking at them?
Security teams drown in data but miss the big picture. Alerts fire off constantly. False positives pile up. Eventually, people stop paying attention. That’s exactly what attackers want.
Threat hunting isn’t about responding to alerts. It’s about finding what didn’t trigger an alert but should have. It’s about stitching together seemingly harmless logs to reveal a hidden attack.
What You Should Be Asking:
- What’s talking to the internet that shouldn’t be?
- Who logged in from an unusual location?
- Why did this service account suddenly escalate privileges?
Find the gaps. Then close them.
The Art of Thinking Like an Attacker
Most security teams think defensively. Threat hunters think offensively.
If you were an attacker, where would you go first? How would you hide? What would you do to blend in? Answering these questions is the key to finding real threats before they explode into full-blown incidents.
Some common attacker tricks:
- Living off the land – Using built-in admin tools like PowerShell to avoid detection.
- Credential stuffing – Trying stolen passwords from breaches to get into your systems.
- Pivoting – Gaining access to one system and using it to jump deeper into the network.
The best way to catch an attacker? Think like one.
The Myth of "Advanced" Threats
We love to talk about APTs—Advanced Persistent Threats. Nation-state hackers. Highly sophisticated attacks. But here’s a dirty little secret: Most breaches aren’t advanced.
They happen because of basic mistakes.
- A server missed a critical patch.
- An employee clicked on a phishing link.
- A misconfigured database was left open to the internet.
Threat hunting isn’t about chasing the next zero-day exploit. It’s about fixing the vulnerabilities that attackers are actually using.
Hunt or Be Hunted
You can’t defend what you don’t understand. And you can’t stop an attack if you don’t see it happening.
Threat hunting isn’t a luxury. It’s a necessity. The best security teams aren’t just responding to incidents—they’re actively searching for threats before they strike.
What You Can Do Today:
- Inventory Your Assets – Know every system, device, and account in your network.
- Monitor for Anomalies – Stop relying on alerts. Actively look for suspicious activity.
- Patch the Basics – Don’t chase exotic threats when old vulnerabilities are still open.
- Educate Your Team – Security awareness isn’t a one-time training. It’s a mindset.
Back to Basics, Back to Security
The fundamentals work. Always have. Always will. The best security professionals aren’t the ones using the most expensive tools. They’re the ones who understand their environment, challenge assumptions, and never stop learning.
Threat hunting is about discipline. Awareness. And a relentless commitment to getting the basics right.
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By: Nathan Zimmerman (Sr. Information Security Officer, YMCA)
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