Most intel programs collect plenty of “interesting” signals but not enough decision-useful ones. The fix isn’t more feeds—it’s better requirements. Well-written Priority Intelligence Requirements (PIRs) translate mission needs into specific questions, data tasks, and measurable outcomes. Done right, PIRs align SOC hunts and casework, cut noise, and speed decisions across both public and private sectors.

What a PIR Is (and Isn’t)

A PIR is a concise decision question tied to a stakeholder and a timeframe. It’s not a topic area (“ransomware”) or a feed wish list. PIRs decompose into:

  • EEIs (Essential Elements of Information): the precise facts you must learn.
  • CRs (Collection Requirements): where/how you’ll get those facts (sources, frequency, formats)

A Five-Step Workflow You Can Reuse Weekly

  1. Start with the decision, not the data.
    Who is deciding what, by when? (e.g., “CISO decides which B2B supplier to quarantine this week” or “Case agent prioritizes disruption targets for next month”).
  2. Write the PIR in plain language
    “Are initial-access brokers currently selling access to organizations in our sector/region, and which access vectors are most common this quarter?”
  3. Break it into EEIs
    • Which handles/listings name our sector/region?
    • What vectors (VPN, SSO, OAuth, RDP, Citrix) are offered?
    • Which infrastructure (domains, ASNs, certs) recurs across listings?
    • Any overlaps with known actors/campaigns?
  4. Task CRs across data lanes
    • Underground monitoring for IAB listings & handles (credibility scored).
    • Passive DNS/CT logs for infra overlaps from listings → clusters.
    • Identity/VPN logs to watch exposed vectors (legacy auth, anomalous MFA).
    • Case/alert pivots to confirm exploitation attempts tied to the cluster.
  5. Define outputs & measures up front
    • Outputs: STIX/MISP package (handles, infra clusters), a hunt playbook, and a short decision brief.
    • MOEs/MOPs: time-to-first high-confidence lead; # of hunts run; # of actions taken (blocks, takedowns, notifications); delta in exposure.

Example: Two PIRs, Two Audiences

Enterprise/SOC PIR

“Which threat actors are actively targeting our identity perimeter this month, and what behaviors should we monitor to preempt token theft and consent abuse?”

EEIs: actor kits/URLs, publisher IDs/scopes, first-seen IdP endpoints, rare ASNs.

CRs: consent logs, IdP auth metadata, DNS egress to live kit infra, threat intel on consent-phish campaigns.

Action: temporary detections (risky scopes, consent spikes), token invalidation playbook, domain/ASN watchlist

Gov/LE PIR

“Which VPS/ASN providers serve as recurring C2 hubs for the top three ransomware affiliates in our jurisdiction this quarter?”

EEIs: provider IDs, IP ranges, cert/host reuse, affiliate fingerprints.

CRs: passive DNS + CT pivots from new leak-site drops; malware config extractions; forum handle↔infra joins.

Action: disruption nominations (provider-focused), victim notifications, cross-partner deconfliction notes.

Templates You Can Copy

PIR Template

  • Decision owner / deadline:
  • PIR (one sentence):
  • Assumptions to test:
  • EEIs (bullets):
  • CRs (source → cadence → format):
  • Outputs: brief + artifacts (STIX/MISP, detection/hunt content)
  • Measures: MOEs/MOPs and who tracks them

Hunt card (from a PIR)

  • Hypothesis: actor X abusing OAuth scopes Y/Z → token-free sessions
  • Data: IdP logs, Graph API, DNS, endpoint lineage
  • Queries/pivots: first-seen publisher IDs, consent with offline_access, SSO from rare ASN + no MFA
  • Decision rule: escalate when ≥3 independent signals co-occur within 24h

Make Requirements Operational (Not Aspirational)

  • Timebox each PIR (e.g., 30–45 days); retire or revise.
  • Name an owner for each EEI and CR.
  • Publish a one-page readout (key judgments + confidence + next actions).
  • Close the loop: did this PIR change a control, detection, or case priority? If not, fix the requirement.

Common Failure Modes

  • Vague PIRs: “Track ransomware.” → Refine to a decision and timeframe.
  • Collection ≠ action: Every CR must map to a hunt, control, or case step.
  • No confidence language: Score source reliability and information credibility; state low/moderate/high in your judgments.
  • Perpetual PIRs: If it never ends, it never prioritizes—timebox and re-issue.

Takeaways

PIRs are the bridge from mission to methods. When you frame decisions first, decompose into EEIs and CRs, and predefine outputs and measures, your program stops just gathering intel and starts driving hunts, detections, and disruption—in both enterprises and government operations.

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