Assuming we all agree that a “threat” is defined as a plan or inclination to attack as opposed to an “attack” which is an existing or previously successful breach. Identifying active threats can be done using threat intelligence which will help provide context into the threat actors and malware impacting your specific region or industry. Another method to identify active threats is by scanning the open, deep and dark web for chatter around your organization, personnel, technology or partners. By identifying threats like these security professionals can proactively adjust their defenses to block or reduce the impact of a potential attack.