MISP (Malware Information Sharing Platform)
Definition
An open-source threat intelligence platform that enables structured sharing of IOCs and threat intelligence using STIX and other formats. Widely deployed by national CERTs, sectoral ISACs, and large enterprises.
- Full name
- Malware Information Sharing Platform
- License model
- Open source
- Supported formats
- STIX and other structured threat intelligence formats
- Typical users
- National CERTs, sectoral ISACs, large enterprises
Common questions
What role does MISP play in a forensic or incident response investigation?+
MISP acts as a repository and exchange point for indicators of compromise gathered during an investigation, letting analysts correlate a new sample or artefact against previously shared IOCs from other organisations, which can quickly reveal whether an incident is part of a broader known campaign.
Why is structured sharing through platforms like MISP preferred over informal IOC exchange?+
Structured formats such as STIX allow indicators to be ingested automatically by other security tools rather than manually copied from a report, which speeds up detection across an organisation and preserves context such as confidence level, source, and related indicators.
Does using MISP replace the need for an organisation's own malware analysis?+
No, it complements rather than replaces internal analysis. MISP helps contextualise findings against community intelligence, but confirming that a specific indicator applies to a specific incident still requires the organisation's own forensic examination.
Related terms
- Domain Generation Algorithm (DGA)
- Code embedded in malware that produces a large set of pseudo-random domain names on a scheduled basis. The malware tries each until...
- Indicator of Compromise (IoC)
- An observable artefact that suggests a system has been involved in a malicious event. Static analysis produces file-based IoCs: cryptographic hashes, embedded...
- Pyramid of Pain
- A model proposed by David Bianco that ranks IOC types by the cost to an attacker of changing them when defenders start...
- STIX (Structured Threat Information eXpression)
- An OASIS open standard that defines a JSON-based language for describing cyber threat intelligence. STIX 2.1 defines objects for indicators, threat actors,...
- TAXII (Trusted Automated eXchange of Intelligence Information)
- The transport protocol companion to STIX. TAXII defines how STIX data is exchanged between servers and clients over HTTPS, enabling automated ingestion...