Anticipating Adversary Tactics: A Proactive Approach to Threat Hunting

Cyber threats are becoming increasingly complex, with attackers constantly changing their strategies to stay ahead of security defenses. Traditional detection approaches often focus on reacting after an attack has already occurred, leaving organizations vulnerable during critical early stages.
This research project focuses on four main areas: (1) it uses patterns from past attacks to forecast future steps in an attack chain, giving defenders more time to respond; (2) it applies threat actor attribution, comparing suspicious activities against known attacker profiles to spot early warning signs; (3) it combines multiple sources of information to create a comprehensive view of the threat landscape; and (4) it ensures that these models can adapt over time, staying effective against new and emerging threats.
By combining these elements, the project aims to help organizations move from reactive responses to proactive threat hunting, enabling earlier detection, faster response, and stronger resilience. The outcomes will support both academic research and industry practices, strengthening our collective ability to safeguard digital environments.

Faculty Supervisor:

Chadi Assi

Student:

Partner:

Ericsson Canada Inc (Quebec)

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Professional, scientific and technical services

University:

Concordia University

Program: