What is Threat Intelligence? Definition & Meaning

What is Threat Intelligence?

Threat intelligence is actionable information about threats that can inform security decisions. For AI agent security, this includes knowledge of prompt injection techniques, malicious domains used in attacks, known jailbreaking patterns, vulnerable system configurations, and emerging attack methods. Threat intelligence transforms security from reactive (responding to attacks) to proactive (defending against attacks before they hit you). It comes from security researchers, automated detection systems, community reports, and analysis of real-world incidents.

How Threat Intelligence Works

Threat intelligence is collected, curated, and distributed through feeds and databases. For AI security, this includes signatures of known prompt injections, blocklists of malicious domains, patterns of jailbreaking attempts, and indicators of compromise from previous attacks. Security systems consume these feeds and use them to update detection rules, blocklists, and analysis models. The intelligence cycle involves collection (gathering threat data), processing (normalizing and enriching), analysis (deriving actionable insights), and dissemination (distributing to security tools and teams).

Why Threat Intelligence Matters

The AI threat landscape evolves rapidly. Attackers discover new prompt injection techniques, create new malicious infrastructure, and develop novel attack strategies. Without threat intelligence, security teams must independently discover each threat. With it, they benefit from the collective knowledge of the security community. Threat intelligence enables faster response to emerging threats, more accurate detection of known attacks, and informed prioritization of security investments.

Examples of Threat Intelligence

A new prompt injection technique is discovered and shared through threat intelligence feeds—security systems across the ecosystem update to detect it within hours. Domains used in a recent AI-targeted attack are added to blocklists, protecting agents from that infrastructure. Analysis of attack trends reveals that attackers are increasingly using image alt-text for prompt injection, prompting defensive adjustments. Intelligence about attack patterns specific to certain AI tools helps organizations using those tools strengthen their defenses.

Key Takeaways

1Threat Intelligence is a critical concept in AI agent security and observability.
2Understanding threat intelligence is essential for developers building and deploying autonomous AI agents.
3Moltwire provides tools for monitoring and protecting against threats related to threat intelligence.

Related Terms

Threat Detection

Threat detection in AI agent security involves identifying malicious activities, attacks, or anomalous behaviors in real-time. This includes detecting prompt injection attempts, data exfiltration, unauthorized actions, and behavioral anomalies that could indicate a compromised or misbehaving agent.

Domain Reputation

Domain reputation is a scoring system that evaluates the trustworthiness of internet domains based on their history, ownership, content, and associations. For AI agents, domain reputation helps prevent interactions with malicious or suspicious websites.

AI Agent Security

AI agent security encompasses the practices, tools, and technologies used to protect autonomous AI systems from attacks, prevent misuse, and ensure they operate safely within intended parameters. It addresses unique threats that emerge when AI systems can take real-world actions.

Network Monitoring (AI)

Network monitoring for AI agents tracks all external communications, including web requests, API calls, and data transfers. It identifies suspicious domains, detects data exfiltration attempts, and enforces network-level security policies.

What is Threat Intelligence?