Build Dynamic Dashboards for Threat Hunting
A new tutorial showcases how to build modular, filter-driven dashboards in Splunk for host-based threat hunting. The approach uses drilldowns and tokenized searches, allowing analysts to pivot instantly from high-level summaries to granular forensic data, speeding up the detection-to-response cycle.
The focus on identity is critical, as threat actors now overwhelmingly favor credential-based attacks over custom malware. Identity-based attacks accounted for 60% of all Cisco Talos incident response cases in 2024, with attackers frequently targeting Active Directory to gain initial access. This trend is underscored by Microsoft's report of a surge in attempted password attacks from 3 billion to over 30 billion per month. This threat landscape directly informs the Department of Defense's mandate for all its components to achieve "target level" Zero Trust capabilities by the end of fiscal year 2027. The strategy pivots from traditional perimeter defense to a "never trust, always verify" model, organizing capabilities into seven pillars, with "User" and "Data" at the core. Splunk provides foundational support for this shift, mapping directly to the DoD's Visibility and Analytics and the Automation and Orchestration pillars. For handling sensitive defense data, Splunk Cloud Platform is authorized for U.S. DoD Impact Level 5 (IL5) and hosted in AWS GovCloud, offering a single-tenant deployment model for data isolation. For multi-client service providers, Splunk can be architected for multitenancy by creating unique indexes for each customer and leveraging role-based access controls. This ensures that while the infrastructure is shared, a client's data remains segregated, a critical requirement for serving diverse defense and commercial customers. Looking ahead, the Pentagon is exploring the use of AI and machine learning to automate and scale Zero Trust assessments. The DoD's Zero Trust Portfolio Management Office is specifically seeking automated solutions for "purple team" assessments, which validate compliance by testing both offensive and defensive cyber operations.
