Operational Threat Intelligence is focused on the specifics of imminent or ongoing attacks. It provides insights into the nature of the threat, the identity of the attackers (if known), their motivation, capabilities, and objectives, as well as the tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) they are likely to use. This type of intelligence is crucial for security operations managers, network operations center personnel, and incident responders because it allows them to understand and anticipate the attackers’ moves, prepare specific defenses, and respond effectively to incidents.

References: The EC-Council’s Certified Threat Intelligence Analyst (C|TIA) program covers the use of Operational Threat Intelligence within a SOC environment. The program emphasizes the importance of understanding and utilizing threat intelligence to predict and mitigate cyber threats. The Certified SOC Analyst (C|SA) training also discusses the role of threat intelligence in SOC operations, including Operational Threat Intelligence12.