Threat Intel Networking: The Power of Peer Connections with Grace Chi

Simplifying Cyber

Grace Chi, co-founder and COO of PulseDive, takes us deep into the often overlooked world of cyber threat intelligence networking. Grace has become a passionate advocate for the human connections that power effective security programs, conducting groundbreaking research on how threat intelligence practitioners share information.
What makes this conversation especially valuable is Grace's focus on the practical realities of threat intelligence implementation. She reveals that while formal structure or groups like ISACs provide important frameworks, the most timely and actionable intelligence typically flows through one-to-one relationships and trusted peer networks. These connections become critical during security incidents, when having someone who can provide just-in-time context about a threat can make all the difference between detection and compromise.
The discussion tackles common pitfalls in threat intelligence program development, particularly the tendency to invest in platforms without proper implementation planning or ongoing maintenance resources. Grace offers concrete advice for organizations at different maturity levels, emphasizing the importance of starting with clear requirements, assigning dedicated point persons for implementation, and understanding pricing models before making significant investments.
For those building threat intelligence capabilities from scratch, this episode provides a roadmap that focuses on identifying organizational pain points, leveraging existing talent, and implementing capabilities incrementally rather than attempting to configure every available feed immediately. Grace also highlights the critical distinction between external intelligence sources and the often-underutilized wealth of internal telemetry and observations.
Beyond the tactical aspects, we explore how threat intelligence must be communicated differently to technical teams versus executive stakeholders, and how building a diverse network across multiple channels creates compounding value over time. Whether you're a seasoned security professional or just beginning to explore threat intelligence, this conversation offers insights that will help you build more effective security capabilities through the power of community.

Chapters

1. Introducing Grace Chee of Pulse Dive (00:00:00)

2. The State of Sharing in Threat Intelligence (00:01:14)

3. How Communities Connect Through ISACs (00:04:36)

4. Threat Intel Program Development Challenges (00:07:22)

5. Process and Requirements in Threat Intel (00:12:10)

6. Getting Started with Threat Intelligence (00:17:11)

7. Internal vs External Intelligence Sources (00:21:40)

8. Grace's Artistic Background Revealed (00:26:52)