Integrating CTI and threat modeling for cyber resilience: An AHP assessment

TL;DR

This paper explores how combining cyber threat intelligence and threat modeling improves cyber resilience, using expert input to show integration is more effective.

Contribution

Empirically validates the benefits of integrating CTI and threat modeling for cyber resilience using AHP and expert judgments.

Findings

Integrated CTI-threat modeling is preferred for enhancing anticipation and operational continuity.

Expert evaluations show integration outperforms standalone approaches in cyber resilience criteria.

Standardized integration frameworks are needed to operationalize the benefits.

Abstract

Cyber resilience has emerged as a critical objective for modern cybersecurity programs, emphasizing not only prevention but also the ability to anticipate, withstand, recover from, and adapt to cyber threats. Two disciplines, cyber threat intelligence (CTI) and threat modeling, are increasingly recognized as fundamental to achieving these goals. While each offers unique benefits, their integration and potential synergistic benefits remain underexplored in empirical research. This study employs the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to evaluate the comparative effectiveness of an integrated CTI-threat modeling approach versus its standalone implementations. Drawing on judgments from cybersecurity experts across government, finance, and telecommunications sectors, the evaluation is structured around four resilience criteria: anticipate, withstand, recover, and adapt. The results demonstrate a strong preference for integration, particularly in supporting anticipation and operational continuity. These findings provide empirical validation for theoretical arguments and highlight the need for standardized integration frameworks to operationalize this approach and enhance resilience in practice.

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